Mallard (Wild Duck)

The Mallard is the most familiar and abundant wild duck in the world. Known for the male's striking iridescent green head and yellow bill, females possess a mottled brownish plumage providing camouflage. They are highly adaptable dabbling ducks.

Intricate vermiculated pattern with fine brown and grey wavy lines (vermiculations) near the distal tip, transitioning into a uniform grayish-brown fluff at the base.

Mixed structure featuring an upper pennaceous region with interlocked barbs and a lower plumulaceous (downy) region with loose, non-interlocking barbs.

Soft and silky texture; the upper tip is slightly firmer due to the pennaceous structure, while the basal half is extremely fluffy and loose.

Fine vermiculated brown and grey pattern at the distal tip combined with an extensive fluffy plumulaceous base typical of duck body plumage.

Wetlands, marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and agricultural fields across a wide variety of aquatic environments.

Widespread across temperate and subtropical North America, Eurasia, and parts of North Africa; highly adaptable and migratory in northern ranges.

Acts as an important seed disperser for aquatic plants and serves as a major prey base for various raptors and mammalian predators.

Other dabbling duck species such as Northern Pintail or Gadwall, which feature similar vermiculated body plumage.

Mallards are the primary ancestors of almost all domestic duck breeds. Their specialized bill has comb-like structures called lamellae to strain food from water.

Good condition with intact barbs at the tip and slightly ruffled plumulaceous barbs at the base.