Mallard (Drake)

This is a classic speculum feather from a male Mallard. The Mallard is a large dabbling duck where the male (drake) features a shimmering green head and yellow bill, while this specific feather contributes to the bright blue patch visible on the wing during flight or at rest

Distinguished by a bold iridescent cobalt blue to violet patch, bordered by a thick black subterminal band and a crisp white terminal tip. The under-surface is a dull silvery-gray

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked throughout most of the vane for waterproofing; plumulaceous (downy) at the very base near the calamus

The iridescent blue section has a smooth, glass-like structural surface; the white tip is soft and matte; the overall feather is stiff and oily/waterproof

Tri-colored pattern of iridescent blue, black subterminal band, and white tip; asymmetrical flight feather shape characteristic of Anseriformes

Ubiquitous in wetlands, including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and urban parks; highly adaptable to human-altered landscapes

Widespread across the Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia); introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and South America; migratory in northern latitudes

Generalist dabbler that consumes aquatic plants and invertebrates; serves as a major prey species for raptors and mammals; helps in seed dispersal

American Black Duck (darker overall, purple speculum lacks white borders or has very thin ones) and Gadwall (speculum is white, not blue)

The blue color is structural, meaning it is created by the microscopic shape of the feather barbs reflecting light rather than pigment; Mallards are the ancestors of almost all domestic duck breeds

Good condition; slight separation of the barbs on the leading edge suggests some wear or handling, but the iridescence remains vivid and the white tip is clean

Corby