To make it easier to picture the mallard in the wild, browse the images below.

 

Mallards ( anas platyrhynchos) are found across North America and Eurasia in ponds, parks, wetlands, and estuaries.They can be found in almost any wetland habitat, both natural and man-made: lakes, marshes, ponds, rivers, and coastal waters, as well as city and suburban parks and backyards. They are a resident to medium distance migrant, from Alaska and northern Canada to Cuba and Mexico, Europe, Asia.and North Africa. They have been introduced into New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and South America.

As dabbling ducks, mallards almost never dive, and are oppontunistic foragers grazing mainly on underwater plants. During most of the year they eat seeds and other plant matter, but change to a diet higher in protein during breeding season, feeding mainly on animal matter such as aquatic insect larva, earthworms, snails and freshwater shrimp.

Almost all domestic ducks come from this species. They can be very tame and socialize easily with other dabbling ducks. They are strong fliers attaining speeds of up to 55 mph. During the molt after breeding season, they are flightless for three to four weeks, which makes them very susceptible to predators.