MALLARD
MALLARD The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Siberia and North Africa and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Falkland Islands, India and South Africa. This duck belongs to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae . The male birds have a glossy green head and are grey on their wings and belly while the females have mainly brown-speckled plumage. 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 female lays 8 to 13 creamy white to greenish-buff spotless eggs on alternate days. Incubation takes about 27 to 28 days and fledging takes another 50 to 60 days. The ducklings are precocial and fully capable of swimming as soon as they hatch. Unlike many Waterfowl, Mallards are considered an invasive species in...