Both sexes have a white-bordered, blue “speculum” patch in the wing. Mallards are “dabbling ducks”—they feed in the water by tipping forward and grazing on underwater plants.
What duck has a blue feather?
You’ll often find Blue-winged Teal with other species of dabbling ducks. They are often around the edges of ponds under vegetation, choosing a concealed spot to forage or rest. Look for Blue-winged Teal on calm bodies of water from marshes to small lakes.
Why do mallard ducks have a blue feather?
A very common example is the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), with the blue-coloured speculum of both the male and female, and the green head feathers of the male. The iridescent colours arise from light interacting with stacks of melanosomes, melanin-pigment containing organelles, present in the feather barbules.
Why do male and female mallard ducks look different?
During the mating season, male ducks will have very bright coloration in their plumage to attract mates. After mating season, the male duck will molt and lose his bright coloration and resemble a female. Mallard ducks are sexually dimorphic, which means the males and females look different from each other.
Do female mallards have colored wings?
Male vs. Female
Females are mottled drab brown in color, but sport iridescent purple-blue wing feathers that are visible as a patch on their sides. They grow to about 26 inches in length and can weigh up to 3 pounds.
What ducks have blue on their wings?
The “blue-winged ducks” are a prime example. This group includes three North American species—northern shovelers, blue-winged teal and cinnamon teal—as well as four species found in other parts of the world.
What does a female mallard look like?
Female mallards are a mottled brown, with darker brown feathers on their heads. They have a violet-blue wing flash (known as a “speculum”) tipped with black and white bars. Their underparts are paler, and their tail feathers are white. Female mallards have orange-red legs and feet.
What domestic duck looks like a mallard?
Rouen duckling
The Rouen duckling is identical to the Mallard duckling in terms of plumage coloring. In North America, two distinct types are bred: the common, or production-bred, variety that is larger than a Mallard but has a typical duck conformation, and the much larger and squarer standard-bred variety.
What ducks look similar to mallards?
Compare with Similar Species
- Northern Shoveler.
- Northern Shoveler.
- Mottled Duck.
- Mottled Duck.
- American Black Duck.
- American Black Duck.
- Common Merganser.
- Red-breasted Merganser.
Do some mallards have blue heads?
Description. This Blue headed Mallard is very rare and scared duck compared to the other Mallards in the area.
What is a non breeding mallard?
Non-breeding males look similar to the females, except they have a yellowish bill. All mallards have a blue speculum that is visible when the birds are in flight. The speculum is a distinctive patch of color on the wing near the shoulder, which often helps identify the species.
Do male ducks have blue feathers?
Their feathers are brown with darker brown and white stripes. Some males and females have blue swatches of color on either side of their bodies, near their tail feathers.
Do female ducks have blue feathers?
Both sexes have an area of white-bordered black or iridescent blue feathers called a speculum on their wings; males especially tend to have blue speculum feathers. The mallard is 50–65 cm (20–26 in) long, of which the body makes up around two-thirds the length.
Do ducks mate for life?
Ducks do not form long-term pair bonds, but instead form seasonal bonds, otherwise known as seasonal monogamy, in which new bonds are formed each season. Seasonal monogamy occurs in about 49 percent of all waterfowl species.
Do mallard ducks mate for life?
Do mallards mate for life? No. They pair up in October or November. The boys’ feathers get exceptionally green on their heads to impress the girls.
What color are female ducks?
Duck Appearance
In many duck species, males have colorful feathers and bills whereas females exhibit duller colors. For example, male Mallards have glossy green heads, bright yellow bills and bodies of brown, gray and black. The female Mallard has an orange and brown bill and a mottled-brown body color.
What is a female mallard called?
hen
The Mallard is a familiar sight on ponds and lakes in many parts of the world, and many people readily recognize this bird. Only the male Mallard, or drake, has the glossy green head and white collar; the female (called a hen) is streaked and mottled in shades of brown, buff, and black.
How can you tell a black duck from a mallard?
The main difference between them visible at a distance is the Black Duck’s darker coloration. At rest, the Black Duck appears a uniform very dark brown from the bottom of the neck to the tail. The hen Mallard is a much lighter brown in this area, and in addition has a pale whitish patch on the belly and a whitish tail.
Is Blue-winged Teal rare?
Blue-winged Teal are the second most abundant duck in North America, behind the Mallard. Their populations remained stable between 1966 and 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey.
Are there different types of mallard ducks?
MallardLower classifications
What kind of duck has a blue stripe?
Mallard in Flight
In flight, the iridescent blue or purple speculum on a mallard’s wing is clearly visible. It is found on the secondary flight feathers along the trailing edge of the inner half of the wing and is thickly bordered by black and white on the top and bottom.