Ducks at a Distance
A Waterfowl Identification Guide
Mallard
The mallard is our most common duck, found in all flyways. The males are often called "greenheads." The main wintering area is the lower Mississippi basin, and along the gulf coast, but many stay as far north as open water permits.
Flocks often feed in early morning and late afternoon in nearby harvested fields, returning to marshes and creeks to spend the night. The flight is not particularly rapid. Hens have a loud quack; the drak's voice is a low-pitched kwek-kwek.
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