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Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Chick Type: Precocial (Parental attendance) Type of Duck: Dabbling Mallards are the most well known of all American Ducks. They can be seen on every continental state and have even been introduced to Hawaii. The species is also found in Canada, Europe, Asian, New Zealand (invasive species) and Australia. Their diet consists of aquatic vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. Male ducks are known as "drakes", while females are just known as "ducks." Mallards form short pair bonds, the male leaves the females after the eggs are laid. Drakes that don't find mates will group together and sometimes gang up on a single female duck (rape flight). This species also frequently breeds with other members of the genus Anas, such as American Black Ducks and Northern Pintails. Mallards lay 8 - 13 eggs and the incubation time is around 27 - 28 days. Both male and female Mallards have a blue/purple speculum on their wing. Mallards are the wild ancestor of most domestic ducks. One of the conservation problems that mallards pose is that they are able to create fertile offspring with many other duck species (Yellow-billed Duck, Hawaiian Duck, American Black Duck). |
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