A dabbling duck that breeds across the Americas, Eurasia and North Africa and has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Males have green heads; females are mainly brown. Mallards live in wetlands in groups.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
An important game bird, and the ancestor of most domestic ducks raised for meat.
At a glance
Found inWorldwide
HabitatWetland, Rivers & lakes
ColoursGreen, Brown, Grey
SizeMedium
Length50–65 cm
Weight0.7–1.6 kg
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives inflocks
Lives for5–10 years
Can fly
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Native to the Americas, Eurasia and North Africa; introduced to Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa.
- What it eats
- Water plants and small animals.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
The ancestor of nearly every domestic duck breed.
Mallards average three years of life but can live to twenty.
Ducks were first domesticated in Southeast Asia at least 4,000 years ago.
Often confused with
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