Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

The mallard is one Europe’s best-known ducks and is the ancestor of our domestic ducks. The differences between the sexes are particularly striking: while the male in breeding plumage has a glossy green head, the female is inconspicuously brown, providing excellent camouflage while nesting.

Mallards usually form pairs for just one breeding season. The female alone is responsible for incubating the eggs and raising the ducklings. Shortly after hatching, the ducklings leave the nest and follow their mother to the water.