Month 8 · August · Wave 1

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos · Anatidae

Ancestor of most domestic ducks; the classic quack duck.

At a glance

Size: 20–26 in
Wingspan: 32–39 in
Habitat: Ponds, parks, marshes, rivers
Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds, invertebrates; also park handouts

Range: Widespread across the Northern Hemisphere

Nesting: Ground nest lined with down, hidden in grass near water.

Coloring pose idea: Drake and hen on calm pond

Hear this bird

General call / song: Female’s loud quack series; male’s call is quieter and reedy.

Mating / display: Pair / courtship recordings are linked below when Audubon labels them. Original note — Courtship head-pumps, whistle-like notes from males, and communal display on water.

Buttons open trusted public pages with playable recordings. We link out — we do not host or embed the audio.

Play calls on All About Birds Species overview Audubon field guide Mating / courtship calls

How to know it

Male: iridescent green head, yellow bill, white neck ring, curly black tail feathers.
Female: mottled brown with orange-and-black bill; both show blue speculum bordered in white.
Dabbling duck — tips forward to feed rather than deep diving.

Behavior

Forms pairs in fall/winter; nests on the ground near water.
Very tolerant of people in city parks.
Hybridizes readily with other ducks.

Fun facts

Only females usually make the classic loud quack.
Ducklings can swim within a day of hatching.
One of the most abundant and familiar waterfowl worldwide.

Companion page for the Birds Coloring Calendar series by R. J. D. B. Fact summaries are original educational text. Call playback via link to All About Birds / Cornell Lab. Re-test QR codes on a phone before final print. Not affiliated with Cornell Lab or Audubon.

← All species · https://birds-rjdb.pages.dev/species/mallard