Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos · The mallard is a dabbling duck that breeds across temperate and subtropical North America, Eurasia and North Africa.

Also called Wild duck, Common Mallard, Northern Mallard, Mallard duck.

Mallard
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mallard
Photo: This picture was realized by Richard Bartz by using a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens, CC BY-SA 2.5
Mallard
Photo: Paul Danese, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
GenusAnas
SpeciesAnas platyrhynchos

Where it lives

Wetlands across North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Fun facts

  • Mallard ducklings can swim as soon as they hatch.
  • Mallards were the first animals shown to sleep with one eye open, letting half the brain stay alert for danger while the other half rests.
  • Mallards have something like a regional accent: city mallards in London are much louder than country mallards in Cornwall, which helps them be heard over urban noise.
  • Mallards are remarkably willing to interbreed: in the wild they have hybridised with more than 40 other species.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).