Mallard

The Mallard, a widely distributed duck species, features males with vibrant green heads, yellow bills, chestnut breasts, and gray bodies. Females display mottled brown plumage with orange and black markings on their bills. These ducks inhabit diverse water bodies like city parks, creeks, and wetlands, often congregating in flocks and mingling with other duck varieties. In North America, distinguishing female Mallards from American Black Ducks, Mottled Ducks, and Mexican Ducks poses a challenge where their ranges overlap due to similar appearances. Notably, Mallards exhibit lighter body tones compared to these species. Wing characteristics, particularly bold white wingbars on the blue wing patch''s leading and trailing edges, aid in identification. Hybridization among these species adds complexity, especially when traits like extensive white in the tail or curled feathers above the tail indicate Mallard ancestry.