Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos
Duck family (Anatidae)

Habitat:
Lakes, rivers, ponds.

Description:
Medium-sized duck, 16” long,
36” wingspan.  Male (right in image) – iridescent dark green head, yellow bill, chestnut breast.  Female (left in image) – brown-streaked, orange bill, whitish tail feathers.  In flight – dark blue speculum bordered by white.

Nesting:
Nest placed on the ground near water.  Eggs are pale greenish white.  Clutch size – 6 to 11 eggs.  Chicks are precocial, downy, leave nest within 24 hours after hatching, fly 8 to 10 weeks after hatching.

Voice:
Male does not quack; gives rasping “rhaeb rhaeb” call during aggression.  Female gives familiar quacking call. 

Name Origin:
Anas, Latin for “duck”;
platyrhynchos:  platus, Greek for “broad”, rhynchos, Greek for “bill”. 

In the Nature Park:
Year-round resident.  Mallards are regularly observed at the Quarry Pond.