A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
The Mallard is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, North America from southern and central Alaska to Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, and across Eurasia, from Iceland and southern Greenland and parts of Morocco (North Africa) in the west, Scandinavia to the north, and to Siberia, Japan, and China in the east.[8] It is strongly migratory in the northern parts of its breeding range, and winters farther south. For example, in North America it winters south to Mexico, but also regularly strays into Central America and the Caribbean between September and May. The Mallard inhabits a wide range of habitat and climates, from Arctic Tundra to subtropical regions. It is found in both fresh- and salt water wetlands, including parks, small ponds, rivers, lakes and estuaries, as well as shallow inlets and open sea within sight of the coastline. Water depths of less than 1 m (4 ft) are preferred, birds avoiding areas more than a few metres deep. They are attracted to bodies of water with aquatic vegetation.
Mallards are opportunistically targeted by brood parasites, occasionally having eggs laid in their nests by Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Cinnamon Teal, Common Goldeneyes, and other Mallards. These eggs are generally accepted when they resemble the eggs of the host Mallard, although the hen may attempt to eject them or even abandon the nest if parasitism occurs during egg laying.
Spotted on Sep 1, 2011
Submitted on Sep 1, 2011
25 Comments (1–25)
Thnx Steven.
About the same emma, but it depends on the light ( best seen in the shade). The blue pigment (The Mallards) for the iridecent feathers are dominant over the recessive purple pigment which is seen in the pacific black duck.
Welcome.
Thanx Satyen!
Nice bird and great info.
Thanks Katy.
Thanks Alice and Pulkit!
very pretty duck
very valuable info,bird lady . THX! :))
Yes unless he has melanism. At this time of year, it is almost positive to be an incomplete moult which will complete in a short time.
@birdlady thnx so much. So will his head turn green soon?
This is a male Mallard. It is either a juvenile almost finished its moult into adult breeding (alternate) plumage or an adult in the final stages of moult from eclipse plumage. Either way, it is a beautiful duck and photo!!
@pyoung ,thnx!
mitchray.ray@gmail.com
You can email him!! He used to have the link on his page.
@pyoung , but where is Mitch?
Its just gorgeous!! You should put it in best wildlife photo!!
Orange feet ,yellow beak! but its that blue ribbon that caught my attention!
Beautiful! Love the feet!
Its the best Mallard photo, I have seen! Mitch would know about the age of the duck?
I am not a duck expert ,but it could be that this duck has not reached full maturity.
Oh I know what you mean about trying to get a photo of a certain subject, I got a blurry photo of the swallowtail kite, I had waited for months!! Lol
The photo looks very artistic, like something I would see in a gallery!!
Thanks pyoung! This is my place of exploration.Trying to catch a picture of the belted Kingfisher.
This is a very pretty photo Emma!!