The mallard or wild duck is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa. This duck belongs to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae. Males have purple patches on their wings, 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 mallard is 50–65 cm (20–26 in) long, of which the body makes up around two-thirds the length. The wingspan is 81–98 cm (32–39 in) and the bill is 4.4 to 6.1 cm long. It is often slightly heavier than most other dabbling ducks, weighing 0.7–1.6 kg (1.5–3.5 lb). Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are social animals preferring to congregate in groups or flocks of varying sizes. This species is the main ancestor of most breeds of domestic ducks. Source: Wikipedia
Citation:
Linnaeus, C 1758
Reference:
Systema Naturae ed. 10
1 p.125
Protonym:
Anas platyrhynchos
Type locality:
Europe; restricted to Sweden by Linnaeus, 1761, Fauna Svecica, ed. 2, p. 42.
Link:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/10277#page/143/mode/1up
Avibase ID:
85625D75F2524457
Avibase ID:
avibase-85625D75
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/85625D75
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 175063
Geographic range:
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (1931): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 19th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 20th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 21st suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 22nd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 23rd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 24th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 25th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 26th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 27th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 28th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 29th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 30th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 31st suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (1957): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 32nd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 33rd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl. and addendum): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 62nd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 63rd suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 64th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 65th suppl.): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Canard colvert ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements 1st edition: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2021: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2022: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2023: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2018: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2019: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.50: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.52: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.53: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.54: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.55: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 2015: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 2016: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 2017: Mallard (Northern) ( Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) [version 1] |
eBird version 2018: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
eBird version 2019: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
eBird version 2021: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
eBird version 2022: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
eBird version 2023: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 2] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.01: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.02: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.03: Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.04 (7/07/2024): Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Anas platyrhynchos [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species (sometimes nominal subspecies)
This taxon is considered a subspecies of
Anas [platyrhynchos or diazi]
(sensu lato) by some authors
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
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