Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
BirdWaterfowlDabbling Duck
A drake mallard in breeding plumage in the Camargue, southern France.
Image: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Overview
The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a large dabbling duck native across the Northern Hemisphere and the ancestor of most strains of domestic duck.
The drake has a glossy green head, a white neck ring, a chestnut breast, a gray body, a yellow bill and curled black tail feathers. The hen is smaller and mottled brown, with black smudges on an orange bill, and only hens quack. Both sexes show a blue wing patch, the speculum, bordered with white.
Mallards measure 50–65 cm long with a wingspan of 79–97 cm. In a large UK sample of live birds, adults averaged 1210 g, males 1270 g and females 1130 g. Birds of domestic origin, which may look and behave unlike wild mallards, are very abundant in places, and hybrids with related ducks can be hard to identify.
Habitat & Range
Mallards use shallow, still waters rich in vegetation — marshes, wooded swamps, ponds, lakes and rivers — as well as grain fields and city parks, where in many places they rely on handouts. They favor fresh water in every season and use brackish estuaries, coastal lagoons and sheltered bays more sparingly, mainly in winter. In the UK breeding season they are most frequent along rivers; in Australia they are most often seen on artificial lakes, ponds and wetlands in towns and farmland.
The natural range runs across the Northern Hemisphere, from the far north to 30°–45° latitude and to Hawaii, with wintering birds reaching the subtropics of the Americas and south-east Asia.
Diet
The mallard is an omnivorous, opportunistic feeder. Most of its diet is plant material — seeds, stems and roots, acorns and waste grain — but it also eats insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, tadpoles, frogs and small fish, and young ducklings may eat mostly aquatic insects. It feeds by dabbling, submerging its head and neck, and up-ending, and it gleans grain from crops.
Behavior
Monogamous pairs form in fall and winter, but the drake leaves the hen soon after mating, and she tends the young alone. After the breeding season mallards gather in flocks, and after a molt in late spring drakes wear a drab 'eclipse' plumage, flightless and secretive for about a month.
The mallard is a partial migrant. Most northerly populations fly south for the winter, and all wild mallards in North America are probably migratory, while UK breeders are largely sedentary, feral birds may stay year-round, and Australian populations appear more sedentary. Ringing shows that birds wintering in the UK come from as far as southern Finland and Russia.
Human Interaction & Conservation
The mallard is the ancestor of most strains of domesticated duck. It is described as introduced to Australia, as early as 1862, and to New Zealand from 1867, there mainly to augment hunting stocks — although one account tags the Australian region as native — and in parts of the UK very large numbers are released to support commercial shoots. Birds of domestic origin are now very abundant in places.
IUCN's global assessment lists the mallard as Least Concern (2025).
Reproduction & Life Cycle
The hen builds a down-lined nest, usually on the ground among concealing vegetation and sometimes more than a mile from water, lays in early spring and incubates alone. UK nest records give a typical clutch of 11–14 eggs and incubation of 27–28 days; other accounts give clutches of 7–13, 9–13 or 1–13 eggs and incubation of 23–30 or 26–28 days.
The downy young follow their mother within a day of hatching and feed themselves. UK nest records give fledging at 50–60 days, and a North American guide gives first flight at 52–60 days. Most hens breed as yearlings.
In UK ringing data, a mallard that reaches breeding age has a typical life expectancy of 3 years, and the oldest ringed bird lived 20 years, 5 months and 17 days. Another account labels 316 months an average wild lifespan — longer than that ringing record.
Sourced facts
Each value below is traced to the specific reference that states it. Open a row's evidence to see the source, where to look in it, and how firmly it supports the value. Sources checked 2026-10-20.
| Fact | What the source states | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguishing traits | A large dabbling duck. Drake: glossy green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, gray body, yellow bill and curled black tail feathers. Hen: mottled brown, with black smudges on an orange bill. Both sexes show a blue wing patch (speculum) bordered with white.Hens are smaller, and only hens quack. The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck strains; barnyard and feral ducks may be dumpy, unlike the trim wild bird. In the UK, birds of domestic origin that do not resemble wild ones in plumage or behavior are very abundant. Mallards may also breed with closely related duck species, and the hybrids can be hard to identify. | Matches source · Australian Museum, National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Missouri Department of Conservation, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) — how we knowAustralian Museum
National Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Missouri Department of Conservation
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
|
| Geographic range | Native across the Northern Hemisphere, wintering south to the subtropics of the Americas and south-east Asia. Described as introduced in Australia (from 1862) and New Zealand (from 1867), though one account tags the Australian region as native; also on Macquarie, Lord Howe and Norfolk islands.sources disagreeThe natural range runs from the Holarctic (North Pole to 30°–45° latitude) to Hawaii. New Zealand introductions came from Britain, Australia and North America, mainly to augment hunting stocks. In parts of the UK very large numbers are released to support commercial shoots. | Sources disagree · Australian Museum, National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) — how we knowWhat each reading says
ADW tags the Australian region as part of the native range, whereas the Australian Museum says mallards in Australia and New Zealand were introduced. Australian Museum
National Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
|
| Habitat | Shallow, still waters and wetlands rich in vegetation—marshes, wooded swamps, ponds, lakes and rivers—plus grain fields and city parks; brackish estuaries, coastal lagoons and sheltered bays are used more sparingly.Fresh water is favored in all seasons; coastal waters are used sparingly, mainly in winter on sheltered bays and estuaries, and in many places mallards rely on handouts in city parks. In the UK breeding season they are most frequent along rivers and also common on lakes and ponds. In Australia they are most often on artificial lakes, ponds and wetlands in urban and farm areas. | Matches source · National Audubon Society, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Australian Museum — how we knowNational Audubon Society
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Australian Museum
|
| Diet | Omnivorous and opportunistic: mostly plant material—seeds, stems and roots, acorns and waste grain—plus insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, tadpoles, frogs and small fish. Ducklings may eat mostly aquatic insects.Forages in water by dabbling, submerging head and neck, and up-ending; also gleans grain from crops. In Australia it feeds mainly on aquatic vegetation and also eats insects. | Matches source · National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Australian Museum — how we knowNational Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Australian Museum
|
| Body size | Length 50–65 cm, wingspan 79–97 cm.North American field-guide figures. Another account gives a length of 23 inches, tip of bill to tip of tail. UK biometrics of live birds give wing length, a different measure from wingspan: averages of 281.2 mm in males and 265.3 mm in females. One source lists a size range of 50 cm to 70 cm without naming the measure. | Matches source · National Audubon Society, Missouri Department of Conservation, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Australian Museum — how we knowNational Audubon Society
Missouri Department of Conservation
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
Australian Museum
|
| Body mass | Adults average 1210 g in a UK sample of live birds (males 1270 g, females 1130 g); a North American field guide gives 2 lb–3 lb 8 oz.UK 5th–95th percentiles: all adults 950–1510 g, males 1020–1550 g, females 900–1390 g; juveniles average 1086.1 g. | Matches source · British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), National Audubon Society — how we knowBritish Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
National Audubon Society
|
| Lifespan | Wild: typical life expectancy 3 years for birds that reach breeding age; the oldest ringed bird lived 20 years, 5 months and 17 days. Another account labels 316 months the average wild lifespan, longer than that ringing record.sources disagreeThe life expectancy and the ringing record (set in 1986) come from UK ringing data; breeding typically starts at 1 year. The 316-month figure is credited to the Bird Banding Laboratory. No captive lifespan is given. | Sources disagree · British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology — how we knowWhat each reading says
For the typical lifespan of wild birds, UK ringing data give a life expectancy of 3 years for birds reaching breeding age, while another account lists an average wild lifespan of 316 months — more than the oldest ringed bird in the UK data. British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
|
| Activity pattern | Seasonal: after a molt in late spring, drakes wear a drab 'eclipse' plumage and are flightless and secretive for about a month.Described for males only. No daily (day versus night) activity pattern is given. | Matches source · Missouri Department of Conservation — how we knowMissouri Department of Conservation
|
| Social structure | Monogamous pairs form in fall and winter; the drake leaves the hen soon after mating, and the young are tended by the female. After breeding, mallards form flocks, and they migrate in mixed-species flocks.Pair bonding can start as early as October and continue through March, and pairs form in fall; the drake likely follows the female to the breeding areas. | Matches source · National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Missouri Department of Conservation — how we knowNational Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Missouri Department of Conservation
|
| Reproduction | The hen usually nests on the ground and incubates alone. Typical clutch 11–14 eggs and incubation 27–28 days in UK nest records; other accounts give 7–13, 9–13 or 1–13 eggs and 23–30 or 26–28 days. Downy young follow the hen within a day.sources disagreeUK records also note clutches of 6–18 eggs and fledging at 50–60 days; a North American guide gives first flight at 52–60 days and 1 brood a year, perhaps rarely 2, and says the young feed themselves. Nests usually lie among concealing vegetation, sometimes more than 1 mile from water, and are lined with down. Eggs are laid in early spring, and most hens breed as yearlings. | Sources disagree · British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Missouri Department of Conservation — how we knowWhat each reading says
Clutch-size ranges disagree (7–13 eggs in one North American account, 1–13 in another, usually 9–13 in a third), as do incubation lengths (23–30 days in two accounts, 26–28 days in another); the UK figures of 11–14 eggs and 27–28 days are typical values from nest records. British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
National Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Missouri Department of Conservation
|
| Movement | A partial migrant: most northerly populations migrate south after breeding, while UK breeders are largely sedentary, feral birds may be permanent residents and Australian populations appear more sedentary.Ringing shows wintering birds reaching the UK from France and the Netherlands east through the Baltic States to southern Finland and Russia. All wild mallards in North America are probably migratory. Some mallards stay through the winter where food and shelter are abundant. | Matches source · British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), National Audubon Society, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Australian Museum — how we knowBritish Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
National Audubon Society
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Australian Museum
|
| Conservation status | Least Concern (LC), global assessment, 2025 | Matches source · IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — how we knowIUCN Red List of Threatened Species
|
References for the facts above
- UniversityAnimal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologySupports: identification, range (biogeographic tags), habitat, diet, social structure, movement, reproduction, lifespan (conflicting reading). Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Student-written account (Dave Rogers), last updated 2001-07-24. Tags every biogeographic region, including the Australian and Neotropical, as native. Its 'average lifespan' of 316 months is credited to the Bird Banding Laboratory. Lists two average masses without sex, age or region (1082 g; 1048.1 g from AnAge); not used.
- Wildlife referenceBritish Trust for Ornithology (BTO)Supports: weight, lifespan, reproduction, movement, habitat, wing length, releases for shooting and domestic-origin birds. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: BirdFacts profiles birds occurring in the United Kingdom; biology figures come from BTO ringing and nest-recording data. Biometrics give wing length, not wingspan or total length.
- Wildlife referenceNational Audubon SocietySupports: body size, weight range, identification, habitat, diet, social structure, movement, reproduction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: North American field guide; text adapted from Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds (1996). Metric weight printed as '900-1.6 kg'. The description line opens 'Sexes similar' without saying in what respect; not used.
- UniversityAustralian MuseumSupports: native and introduced range, identification, habitat, diet, movement. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Written from an Australian perspective. 'Size Range 50 cm to 70 cm' does not name the measure. Factsheet fields (clutch 12, incubation 28 days, 'Time in nest: 60 days') were not used. The same text appears on BirdLife Australia's Birds in Backyards, which is not cited separately.
- GovernmentMissouri Department of ConservationSupports: activity (eclipse molt), identification (voice, hybrids), body length, pair formation, reproduction readings. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: State field guide. Gives clutches of 1-13 eggs, unlike the other sources (recorded as a conflict). Says mallards 'don't dive' (Audubon: rarely; Australian Museum: sometimes, in shallow water); no diving claim is made.
- ReferenceIUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesSupports: The global Red List category and the year of the assessment. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Read from the Red List export IUCN publishes to GBIF; iucnredlist.org itself does not answer automated reads. Categories are reassessed over time.
Frequently Asked Questions — Mallard
How can you tell a male mallard from a female?
The drake has a glossy green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, gray body, yellow bill and curled black tail feathers. The hen is smaller and mottled brown, with black smudges on an orange bill. Both show a blue, white-bordered wing patch, and only hens quack.
How long do mallards live?
In UK ringing data, a mallard that reaches breeding age typically lives 3 years, and the oldest ringed bird reached 20 years, 5 months and 17 days. One account lists 316 months as an average wild lifespan, which exceeds that record.
Do mallards migrate?
Partly. Most northerly populations migrate, and all wild mallards in North America are probably migratory, but UK breeders are largely sedentary, feral birds may stay year-round, and Australian populations appear more sedentary.
Are domestic ducks descended from mallards?
Most domestic strains are: the mallard is the ancestor of most strains of domesticated duck. Birds of domestic origin may not look or behave like wild mallards, and hybrids with closely related ducks can be hard to identify.
Sources and further reading
Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.
- UniversityAnimal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology — Anas platyrhynchos (mallard) species account — identification, range (biogeographic tags), habitat, diet, social structure, movement, reproduction, lifespan (conflicting reading)
- Wildlife referenceBritish Trust for Ornithology (BTO) — Mallard BirdFacts (UK ringing and nest-record data) — weight, lifespan, reproduction, movement, habitat, wing length, releases for shooting and domestic-origin birds
- Wildlife referenceNational Audubon Society — Mallard, Guide to North American Birds — body size, weight range, identification, habitat, diet, social structure, movement, reproduction
- UniversityAustralian Museum — Mallard species account (Australia) — native and introduced range, identification, habitat, diet, movement
- GovernmentMissouri Department of Conservation — Mallard field guide — activity (eclipse molt), identification (voice, hybrids), body length, pair formation, reproduction readings
- ReferenceIUCN Red List — Anas platyrhynchos assessment — The global Red List category and the year of the assessment