Bird 🦆
🦆
Anas platyrhynchos
| Size | 50–65 cm Similar to a small chicken |
|---|---|
| Weight | 750 g–1.6 kg About the weight of a bag of sugar |
| Lifespan | 5–10 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Males have a glossy green head, purple-brown breast and curled tail feather; females are streaked brown with an orange-brown bill |
| Habitat | Lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands, urban parks — almost any water body |
| Best time | Year-round |
| Conservation | UK: Amber LC |
Did you know?
The familiar quacking sound is only made by the female — male mallards produce a quieter, raspy reed-like call
The familiar quacking sound is only made by the female — male mallards produce a quieter, raspy reed-like call
More for experts
Mallards can sleep with one eye open, keeping half their brain alert for predators — a state called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep
Often confused with
Tufted Duck (black and white, dives), Shoveler (spatula bill), Gadwall (grey and brown)
Tufted Duck (black and white, dives), Shoveler (spatula bill), Gadwall (grey and brown)