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Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Alternate name(s): "Wild Duck" German name(s): "Stockente", "Wilde Ente", "Märzente" Size: 50-65 cm; wing span 80-100 cm Body mass: 0.7-1.6 kg Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.35-0.65

Europe: Family Group 2 Family Group 2 Table Common Loon Red-throated Loon Mute Swan Whooper Swan Greylag Goose Pink-footed Goose Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Canada Goose Barnacle Goose Brent Goose Red-breasted Goose Common Eider Common Scoter Velvet Scoter Common Goldeneye Common Shelduck Ruddy Shelduck Northern Shoveler Eurasian Wigeon American Wigeon Garganey Northern Pintail Mallard Eurasian Teal Gadwall Common Pochard Red-crested Pochard Ferruginous Duck White-headed Duck Tufted Duck Ring-necked Duck Smew Red-breasted Merganser Goosander Great Crested Grebe Black-necked Grebe Little Grebe Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Mallards are dimorphic, with males and females having different breeding and non-breeding plumages. Females are similar to the females of several other duck species of the genus Anas. They are inconspicuously vermiculated dark-grey with brown edge lining, with a brown bill. They have small blue-grey speculi. Male Mallards in breeding plumage have a dark blue-green head, dark-yellow bill, white neck ring, dark-brown front and finely striated grey-brown mantle and wing. The males' legs are bright orange. Juveniles closely resemble females, but often with more scruffy-looking plumage.

Taxonomy, classification See Mallard at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Mallard is available HERE . Mallards are found on all continents of the northern hemisphere. Birds that leave their breeding grounds at the end of summer migrate southwards, from Europe towards the coast of north-western Africa, along the River Nile, around parts of the coastal fringe of Arabia; from western and central Asia to parts of the South-Iranian coastline and in northern India and southern Pakistan. Some also stay permanently in near-coastal northern Africa. In North America the migration leads them from Canada and parts of the Arctic to the rest of the continent, as far South as Mexico. In central Europe Mallards of race "caesia" are found. They are present all year round over large parts of the continent, from the British Isles to Poland and part of the Balkans, and from northern Italy, parts of Greece and Turkey to southern Scandinavia. During the breeding season they extend their range into all of Scandinavia, eastern Europe (the Baltic States, Ukraine) into southern Italy and Anatolia. Mallards are very versatile in their choice of habitat and can be found around any kind of fresh water.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "caesia" We have seen Mallards, race "caesia", in parts of the southern Eifel and in Hessen in 2006, 2010 and 2014. C. Pears reports finding Mallards, race "caesia", in various locations in England in January 2011, February 2013 and in September 2013. They were also found in various locations in England and Ireland, in August/September 2023, and again in September 2024. D. Wilczynska reports finding large numbers of Mallards, race "caesia", regularly in wetlands in the area of Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland. H. Dahlem-Senger reports finding Mallards, race "caesia", near Matrei, Osttirol, Austria, in July 2017, at an altitude of ca. 1300 m, and near Oberkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in September 2020. H. Dahlem-Senger also spotted Mallards, race "caesia", on Spiekeroog, Ostfriesland, Germany, in June 2021. J. Pires reports finding Mallards, race "caesia", regularly in various locations in Portugal. M. Eaton reports finding Mallards, race "caesia", at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, and in St. James's Park, London, England, in September 2019. Mallards, race "caesia", were spotted by C. Pears in Bergen, Norway, in October 2024. In the past we used to see Mallards occasionally in various parts of Germany, always near fresh water.

Photos

Race "caesia"

ADULT

PAIR

BREEDING

Frontal view of a pair of Mallards in breeding plumage, female in front (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2020]

Frontal view of several pairs of Mallards in breeding plumage roosting communally (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Divor, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, January 2022]

Lateral view of a pair of Mallards in breeding plumage resting on a frozen pond (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Mallards, male in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Portugal, October 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Mallards in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, January 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Mallards in breeding plumage resting on a frozen pond (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Mallards in breeding plumage resting on a frozen pond (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Two pairs of Mallards, males in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2020]

Mallards in breeding plumage on a frozen pond (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a pair of Mallards in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabecao, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Near-lateral view of Mallards in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral view of Mallards in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of Mallards, males in breeding plumage, in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Mallards, male in breeding plumage, in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Portugal, October 2022]

Near-dorsal view of Mallards in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

MALE

BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a male Mallard in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Mallard in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Lateral view of a male Mallard in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Lateral view of a male Mallard in breeding plumage
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2010]

Lateral view of a male Mallard in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a male Mallard in worn breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, April 2016]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view from above of a male Mallard in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Mallard in non-breeding plumage with what looks like a blind eye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view from above of a male Mallard in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male Mallard in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male Mallard in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Parque da Paz, Almada, Setubal, Portugal, July 2019]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moita do Ribatejo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral portrait of a female Mallard
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2010]

Close-up lateral view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Parque da Paz, Almada, Setubal, Portugal, November 2022]

Lateral view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Lateral view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Lateral view of a female Mallard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a female Mallard on the point of departure (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, June 2022]

Dorsal view of a female Mallard in worn plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, April 2016]

Lateral view of a female Mallard in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2019]

Lateral view of a female Mallard in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2019]

Dorsal view of a female Mallard banking to land on water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2016]

NON-BREEDING

Two pairs of Mallards, with males in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2019]

Sex unknown

Two Mallards in non-breeding plumage
[Holzmaar, Eifel, Rheinland-Pfalz, August 2014]

Mallards in non-breeding plumage preening
[May 2006]

Mallards in non-breeding plumage in a farm yard in the Austrian Alps (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Matrei, Osttirol, Austria, July 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up frontal view of a female(?) Mallard, right, with two juveniles (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Coniston, Cumbria, England, September 2024]

Got all your ducks in a row? Female Mallard with a clutch of 13 ducklings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Monte do Porto, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

Lateral view of two female Mallards with juveniles (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Lateral view of a female Mallard with a clutch of juveniles (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

Lateral view of a female Mallard with 9 ducklings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Avis, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a snoozing Mallard duckling (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Spiekeroog, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Dorsal view of a female Mallard with a clutch of ducklings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Monte do Porto, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

'tention! Eyes to the .... RIGHT! (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Monte do Porto, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Flock

In western, central and southern Europe Mallards are sedentary. In eastern and northern Europe they are migratory, retreating southward from the harsh winter climate.

Like many other species of ducks, Mallards are sociable animals that can gather in large flocks outside the breeding season (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

Like many other species of ducks, Mallards are sociable animals that can gather in large flocks outside the breeding season (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]

In Australia, Mallards can interbreed with Pacific Black Ducks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2013]

Food, Diet

Small mob of Mallards harvesting aquatic plants just under the surface of the water (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, 2024]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

mallard_jp_20230222.mp3	caesia (Portugal)	Contact calls? (Q&A)	© JP
mallard_dw_20190413.m4a	caesia (Poland)	Contact calls? (Pair in flight)	© DW
mallard_jp_20200720.m4a	caesia (Portugal)	Alarm calls?	© JP

More Mallard sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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