Difference Between Mallard and Duck

Mallard vs Duck

Identifying a mallard from a duck would be little difficult if the real characteristics are not familiar about them, especially about mallard. That is because mallard is a species of ducks, which means there are many similarities but few differences between them. This article provides some of the important differences between them following the general characteristics with particular attention to important and considerable features. Therefore, it would be beneficial to follow the presented information in this article to ensure the expansion of knowledgeableness.


Mallard is also known as wild duck in common tongue, and Anas platyrhynchos is their scientific name. They have natural populations in temperate and subtropical climates of North America, Europe, and Asia. There are introduced mallard population in Australia and New Zealand. The male mallards are brightly coloured with glossy green head and neck with a white colour ring around the neck. The female mallards have brown colouration with some streaks, which do not make them eye catching for humans, but they of course are attractive for male mallards due to the presence of the most wanted female reproductive system. During the breeding season, the males become even brighter than explained in above sentences, as there will be bright bottle-green head, black rear, some glossy blue on the wings, and yellowish orange beak with the black colored tip. These wild ducks inhabit wetlands and feed on the plants and animals of their grasp that are found around the aquatic environments that they live. Mallards are usually gregarious feeders. However, these birds are about 50 – 65 centimetres long with bodyweights ranging from 700 grams to 1.6 kilograms. Wild ducks or mallard was the ancestor to domestic ducks.


Ducks are the mostly diversified group of the Family: Anatidae with over 120 different species described under many genera. The male ducks are called as drakes while the females are referred as ducks in the common usage. In terms of body size, ducks are the smallest among all the Anatidae taxonomic family members. Domestic breeds are larger than the wild species. The neck of ducks is the shortest among the members of the Family: Anatidae. They have many attractive combinations of colours. Ducks are omnivorous feeders, and some are filter feeders, whose bills have pectin (comb-like processes) to filter their feed. Filter feeders (e.g. Dabbling duck) inhabit the surface of water while the diving ducks can forage under water. Ducks are monogamous, but the pair’s bond last for one or few seasons only. That means they are monogamous for a limited time and not for the entire lifetime. They breed in the nest, which was built alone by the females without help from the drakes. Temperate and Northern hemispheric species are migratory, while tropical inhabitants do not migrate. That is because of the abundance of food in the tropics are higher compared to temperate regions, especially during wintertime. There are some nomadic species are present, especially in the ponds in Australian deserts, where the rainfall is low.


What is the difference between Mallard and Duck?

• Mallard is one species while the term duck would elaborate over all the species of ducks, which is more than 120.

• Mallard is a wild species while ducks include domestic species, as well. However, the mallard duck has been the ancestor of those domestic species.

• Mallard is an actively foraging animal with gregarious feeding habits, whereas ducks as a whole include many types of feeders including filter feeders and others.

• Mallard has a special colouration that is unique for them with bright bottle-green head and neck, whereas other ducks have their own colourations.