Mallard Ducks: Most Popular Duck Species
Mallard Ducks: Most Popular Duck Species
Mallard Ducks
Mallard ducks
Mallard Ducks is one of the most well known and recognized dabbling ducks. This duck breed is found in many regions of the world, like Asia, Africa, North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. They are migratory birds which tend to go further south during wintering. Mallard ducks are considered as ancestors of almost all the types of duck breeds.
Mallard Ducks
Mallard is around 55-65 cm in length, weighs 0.8-1.2 kilograms and has an average wingspan of 80-96 cm. Male mallard ducks has yellowish orange bill which is tipped with black color and has a green head. On the other hand, female mallard ducks has a dark brown bill. Like majority of the female dabbling ducks, the females of this breed are dark brown in color. However, both the genders have one thing in common and that is distinct purple speculum, prominent at rest or in flight.
Mallard Ducks
Domestic mallard ducks come in wild-type plumages and have a noisy call. Mallards are inhabitants of small rivers, ponds, wetlands, and parks. They prefer to eat insect and small frogs. The usually nest next to a river side, however in some cases they may nest far from water bodies. They form large flocks, often known as sord.
Male and female mallard only stays together till the time hatching of egg takes places, and then partners leave each other. The clutch is around 9-13 eggs and hatching period usually extends to around 28 days. Ducklings of this breed are sharp and they know how to forge and swim, but they stay near their mother for protection. mallard ducks are spreading in different parts of the world, because of their high interbreeding with birds of other genus. Some of the closest relatives of mallard include Meller’s Duck, Florida Duck, Mexican Duck, Pacific Black Duck, American Black Duck and Yellow-billed Duck.
Mating habits of ducks are very unusual. A large number of males are left out, who then form a group and target a particular female and pester and copulates with her. Mallard also cross breed or inter breed with American black Duck and Northern pintail, leading to formation of a hybrid breed. In New Zealand, mallards are considered as invasive species. However, due to excessive hunting of mallards in past few years their population is on the decline. Besides, problems such as global warming and loss of natural habitat are some factors which are deterring growth of mallards. Thus, some strict measures should be taken urgently to put a curb on their hunting and to take measures for developing their natural habitat.
This article expalin about the mallard ducks.
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