Mallard

The Mallard is a familiar dabbling duck and the principal wild ancestor of most domestic duck breeds. Breeding males have a glossy green head, narrow white neck ring, chestnut breast and curled black tail feathers. Females are mottled brown with an orange-and-black bill. Both sexes show an iridescent blue wing speculum bordered in white, a useful feature when the bird is resting or flying (Cornell Lab of Ornithology).

Mallards use an exceptionally broad range of shallow freshwater and coastal habitats. They upend rather than dive, filtering seeds, aquatic vegetation and small invertebrates from the surface or muddy bottom, and also graze on land. The female chooses a concealed nest site, usually near water, and alone incubates the eggs and leads the downy ducklings after hatching. Northern populations migrate while others remain resident (Cornell Lab of Ornithology).