Mallard

The mallard is a medium-large dabbling duck, 50–65cm long with a wingspan of 81–98cm and a weight of 0.7–1.6kg. The breeding male is unmistakable, with a glossy bottle-green head, a white collar, a purple-tinged brown breast, a pale grey belly, a black rear and a yellowish-orange bill. The female is mottled buff and dark brown with a darker, often orange-and-brown bill. Both sexes have a white-bordered speculum, blue or purple especially in males. The female gives the classic loud quack, often in a fading series; the male's is quieter and deeper (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds across the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia and North Africa, lives in wetlands, eats water plants and small animals, and gathers in flocks. Females lay 8–13 eggs, and after 27–28 days of incubation the ducklings can swim as soon as they hatch. It is the main ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and hybridises readily with related wild ducks. In India it is a winter migrant with localized summer populations and a large range; SoIB 2023 finds its trends uncertain and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).