Mallard (gobirding.eu)

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

The most familiar duck in the UK and much of the world. This page contains wild-type Mallards; domestic variants of Mallard can be found on a separate page .


male and female Mallards, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 16th February 2008

male and female Mallards, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 9th January 2010

male Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 28th February 2004

female Mallard, Abberton Reservoir (Essex, UK), 21st August 2004

female (or juvenile?) Mallard, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 9th June 2004	female Mallard, Wroxham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 17th April 2004

male Mallards, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 27th September 2007

male Mallard, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 10th September 2005	male Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 12th November 2005

Mallard ducklings, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 9th June 2004

female Mallard engaged in distraction display, Holkham (Norfolk, UK), 16th May 2009

Mallard duckling, Fressingfield (Suffolk, UK), 1st May 2000	Mallard duckling, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 21st May 2004


male Mallards, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 25th June 2004 (left two are the same bird, right two are a different bird)


Mallards, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 20th May 2009

female Mallard, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th April 2004	female Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 12th November 2005

Mallard, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 29th March 2009

male Mallard, Burnham Overy (Norfolk, UK), 25th May 2009	male Mallard, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 12th January 2008

male Mallard, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 31st March 2009	female Mallard, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2004

male Mallard, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th April 2004	3 male Mallards and 1 female, Caerlaverock (Dumfries & Galloway, UK), 29th December 2005


Mallards, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 9th May 2009

Mallards, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th January 2008

Mallard, Wroxham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 11th May 2009


eclipse male Mallards, Hockwold (Norfolk, UK), 25th July 2009

male Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st March 2000	male Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 14th July 2001

male Mallard, Letheringsett (Norfolk, UK), 4th September 1999	male Mallard, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 19th August 2005

male Mallard, Flixton GP (Suffolk, UK), 27th August 2005	male Mallard, Sheringham (Norfolk, UK), 23rd September 2004

female Mallard, Welney (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2005	female Mallard, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 4th January 2006

male Mallard, Caerlaverock (Dumfries & Galloway, UK), 29th December 2005	male Mallard, Welney (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2005

male Mallard, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 4th June 2008	male Mallard, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 9th September 2003

male Mallard, Whitlingham CP (Norfolk, UK), 15th March 2003	male Mallard, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 23rd September 2007

Mallards, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 16th August 2008

Mallard ducklings, West Somerton (Norfolk, UK), 25th April 2009	Mallard duckling, Ranworth (Norfolk, UK), 11th May 2009

male Mallards, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 21st May 2004	female Mallard, Whitlingham CP (Norfolk, UK), 15th March 2003

male and female Mallards, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2001	male and female Mallards, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2001

male and female Mallards, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 14th October 2007	male Mallard, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 31st December 2007

female Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 27th September 2007	female Mallard, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th January 2007

male Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 9th January 2010	Mallards, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd May 2008

female Mallard, Whitlingham CP (Norfolk, UK), 16th March 1999

female Mallard, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st March 2000

Intersex Mallards

The following bird appears to be intersex, a female Mallard that is developing male characteristics. Intersexes in nature are rare but not exceptional and quite a few similar ducks can be found among internet images, though many are difficult to identify as such. Many intersex Mallards bear a striking resemblance to some Mallard hybrids, especially Mallard x Black Duck hybrids, but can often be told apart by the combination of female-type bill and extensively male-like plumage. Hybrids in contrast, if they show male-like plumage, can also be expected to show a male-like bill. Thanks to the several folk who commented on the identification of this bird shown below.