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Mallard Anas platyrhynchos |
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Mallards eat algae, insects and grass. They belong to a group of ducks called “Dabbling Ducks.” Sometimes you see only their rump sticking up out of the water as they “dabble” for food at the bottom of shallow water.
The male
has a green head. The female is mostly spotted brown. This makes it easy for
her to hide with her eggs, to keep them safe. It’s the female who makes the
loud Quack you have probably heard. The male makes a soft clucking
sound. |
Habitat: Lakes, rivers, bays, and parks
Feeding: Eats aquatic vegetation, grains, and insects.
Nesting: Builds nests of reeds and grasses lined with down.
Nests are placed on ground near water.
Eggs: 8-10, pale greenish-white. Incubation: 26-30 days. Fledge: 50-60 days.