Page 103 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae Species Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard brown
head

blue speculum
MALE
white
underwings brown
bill
MALE (SUMMER) becomes
green browner
head
white FEMALE streaked brown
tail body
purple-blue, yellow bill
white-edged
curly central speculum white
FEMALE tail feathers neck-ring
brown breast

dark
belly
IN FLIGHT
he most widespread
Tand familiar of all the
ducks, this is the one most often MALE (WINTER)
seen in town parks, coming for bread on
lakes or on the riverside: but there are also many that are truly wild
and shy.The different breeds of the farmyard duck are the domestic FLIGHT: strong, fast; wingbeats mostly below body
forms of the Mallard.They vary from very dark brown to all-white. level; often in groups.
The status of the wild form is
obscured by the release of thousands
bred for shooting.
VOICE Male whistles quietly;
female has loud, raucous quark quark.
NESTING Down-lined nest on
ground or in raised sites; 9–13 eggs;
1 brood; January–August.
FEEDING Takes small aquatic
invertebrates, seeds, roots, shoots,
and grain from shallows while DUCKLINGS
upending or dabbling, or from Mallard ducklings follow the mother to water. They stay
dry ground. under her care until they are able to take care of themselves. OCCURRENCE
Nests practically anywhere within
SIMILAR SPECIES reach of almost any kind of water,
from towns to remote moorland
GADWALL 2 bluish bigger bill pools and northern lakes, almost
similar to 2; forewing
see p.102 longer grey throughout Europe. In winter,
neck bill more western, often on estuarine
salt marshes but less so on open
SHOVELER 2similar to 2; sea. Mostly feeds on arable fields
see p.104
and muddy margins of lakes.
white orange PINTAIL 2similar Seen in the UK
wing patch bill sides to 2; see p.103 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 50–65cm (20–26in) Wingspan 81–95cm (32–37in) Weight 0.75–1.5kg (1 3 ⁄4 –3 1 ⁄4lb)
Social Flocks Lifespan 15–25 years Status Secure
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