We have 22 different duck species in the UK, but the mallard is our most abundant. The male’s distinctive green head and the female’s speckled brown plumage have become a familiar and iconic sight on our network.
Mallards are dabbling ducks, meaning they feed mainly on water plants at the surface, which they get by upending in shallow water. Other dabbling duck species include the gadwall, teal and wigeon.
Mallards are social animals, living in flocks, and are well-adapted to urban areas. But if you want to feed our ducks and other water birds, please avoid giving them bread.
Mallard drakes
Are mallard ducks native to the UK?
Most of the mallards you see will be resident in the UK, but some might be visitors from northern Europe flying south for the winter.
We have about 61,000 breeding pairs and around 675,000 wintering birds.
What do mallards look like?
A large and heavy duck, the mallard has a long body with distinctive plumage. They’re about 50-65cm long with a wingspan of 81-98cm. Mallard bodies make up around two-thirds of their overall size.
Male mallards are especially known for their striking breeding plumage, with a glossy green head, white neck ring and chestnut-brown breast. Outside of the breeding season, however, both males and females adopt a more muted look known as eclipse plumage, where males resemble females with mottled brown feathers, offering better camouflage.
Hybridisation with other species and domestic ducks also results in varied plumage among mallards. In some instances, mallards may have entirely white or pale plumage.
Mallard ducklings with their mother
How to tell if a mallard is male or female?
Drakes and hens look so different they were once considered separate species. The males are the more brightly coloured of the sexes.
Males have dark green heads with a yellow pull and purple and brown bodies. Females are speckled brown with an orange bill.
The male and female mallards have a distinctively coloured patch on their wings, called a speculum. These feathers are often iridescent purple or blue, bordered by white.
Can mallard ducks change gender?
Like a few other birds, mallards can go through a rare process called spontaneous sex reversal. This means female mallards begin to exhibit male plumage or vice versa. Often, this is caused by damage to the sexual organs.
Mallard hen with duckling
What do mallard ducklings look like?
Ducklings are small, brown and fluffy with yellow faces and undersides. They have a distinctive brown stripe through their eye.
Young mallards are cared for by their mother only and feed independently. You might see a flock of ducklings loyally following their mother on our canals in the spring and early summer. Listen out for their high-pitched ‘cheep-cheep’. Mallards can have more than one brood each year.
Mallards make an iconic quacking sound. Females have a louder, distinctive 'quack', whereas drakes have a shorter, quieter and raspier call.
Audio: Simon Elliott / xeno-canto.org
What to feed mallards?
Everyone enjoys feeding ducks, but it’s important we give them the right food. Bread, while a traditional snack, isn’t nutritious and is bad for ducks.
