- Body length ranges from 51 to 71 centimetres (20 to 27 inches).
- The male Mallard has an iridescent green head and upper neck separated from the chestnut chest by a white ring.
- The back and wings are brownish gray with an irridescent purple speculum bordered front and back by white.
- The underparts and sides are light gray, the tail feathers are gray with white borders, and the upper and under tail coverts
- The legs are reddish orange and the bill is yellow.
- The female Mallard's upper parts are brown, streaked with black. Her throat and foreneck are buff and the underparts are
buffy-gray spotted with brown-gray.
- The male in eclipse plumage is similar to the female.
- For both male and female, voice is a recognizable quack. Male voice is deeper than the female’s.
- This species nests throughout most of North America, and winters from southern Canada to Panama.
- Typical habitats for this species include:
- Agricultural areas
- City parks
- The Mallard duck’s diet includes:
- Grain fields
- Various surface aquatic plants
- The nest is on the ground, made of grass, dead leaves, and lined with down.
- 8 to 12 buffy-green eggs are laid.
The Mallard duck is classified as Secure in the current General Status of Alberta Wild Species report. See:
- Hunting season information for this species is provided in the current Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations. To
view the guide online or to order a printed copy, visit the My Wild Alberta website at:
Updated: Jan 8, 2014