home
kk

mallard

The Mallard, also known as Wild Duck, is found in temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, America as well as North Africa which are the main breeding grounds for these ducks. However, this species of ducks is now spreading further to Australia and New Zealand as well. Mallards come from the subfamily of the Anatidae.

The male members of the Mallards can be identified by their bright green colored heads and grey bodies and wings. The females on the other hand are brown in color. These ducks are commonly found in the wetland areas. They feed on water plants as well as small kinds of animals and insects. The mallards are known to be the ancestors of the domestic breed of ducks.

Mallard Distribution

Mallards are commonly found all over North America, from Alaska to the Mexican regions, the Islands of Hawaii, Eurasia, Iceland, Japan, Scandinavia, Siberia, China, Morocco as well as the southern parts of Greenland. They usually migrate to the Northern parts in the summer season and return to the South when the winter commences. In North American regions for instance, these ducks may dwell towards the South of Mexico. They move towards Central America and the Caribbean from the month of September to May.

The Mallards can adapt themselves to a variety of climates and habitats, from Arctic regions to the Subtropics. They may be found in fresh waters or even salty water regions in the wetlands. There are also seen in parks, rivers, lakes, and the seas as far as the coastline. They do not actually go into the water bodies that are too deep, but a depth of about 1 meter is preferable for these ducks. They may also prefer regions abundant in aquatic vegetation so that they can feed on it.

Mallard Diet

Mallard ducks are organisms that feed on both plants and animals. Therefore, they can choose from a wide variety of food. The diets they choose, however, vary according to the phase of their breeding cycle and the kind of food that is available to them in a particular region. The common diet of Mallards comprises of invertebrates like flies, dragonflies, beetles and other tiny insects, worms, plant seeds, roots, and much more. During the season of breeding, the intake of plant and animal matter differs on the basis of gender. Usually, both male and female mallards feed on a greater amount of plants than animals. However, this amount also varies for normal females and the female mallards that are in the laying phase. The latter eat more animals than plants. During winters and the migration seasons, plants prove to be a more popular diet among the Mallards. They may prefer the river bank regions to build their nests, but they might choose to stay away from the water.
  • How to smoke mallard at homeHow to smoke mallard at home
    Mallard or wild duck is a very rich in taste and flavours small bird. Mallards can be farmed or hunted down, so, during preparation, pay some ...


navigation:officials:topics:
  • copyright
  • privacy
  • contacts