Mallard
| Category | Fact |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Wing spread | 36 inches |
| Body length | 25 inches |
| Weight | 2.8 pounds |
| Description | Mallards are large ducks. From late fall through spring, males have a glossy green head, brown chest, and gray back. Females are a drab brownish gray. Both sexes have a glossy violet blue wing speculum with white bars. |
| Nesting Habitat | Highly variable in nest site selection, but do best in large blocks of undisturbed grassland cover. |
| Clutch size | 9 eggs |
| Incubation period | 28 days |
| Status in North Dakota | The mallard is abundant during migration seasons, and commonly nests in North Dakota, and some birds winter in the state anywhere there is open water and food. |
| Food habits | The mallard is highly adaptive, feeding on a variety of foods ranging from aquatic seeds and grains to acorns. |
| Fun Facts | The mallard is one of the most researched animal species in the world, and the most abundant in the hunter' s bag. |