The mallard is about 20-28 inches in length and has a wingspan of about three feet. It has a blue patch on the top side of its wings with a white line around it. The male mallard has a green head and neck with a white ring bordering it. It has a brown chest, a whitish-gray underside, brown wings and a yellow bill. The female mallard is mottled brown and tan with a white tail and an orange bill.

Distribution

The mallard breeds in most of Canada and the United States. It winters throughout the United States and south to Central America and the West Indies. The mallard can also be found in Europe and Asia.

Behavior

Mallard courtship begins in the fall and by winter pairs will have formed. If a pair is part of a migrating group, the pair migrates to the female's territory. The female mallard lays eight to ten eggs in a nest on the ground. Nests are depressions in the ground and are usually no further than 100 yards from water. The nest is lined with down and is usually hidden in tall grass.