Mottled Duck

Overview

The mottled duck (Anas fulvigula), also known as the mottled mallard, is a medium-sized dabbling duck that appears intermediate between the female mallard and the American black duck. Classified as Least Concern, the species is divided into two distinct subspecies with a disjunct distribution.

Identification

• Length ranges from 44 to 61 cm (17–24 in), with a dark body, lighter head and neck, orange legs, and dark eyes.
• Both sexes possess a shiny green-blue speculum (wing patch) that lacks the white border seen in mallards, serving as a key identification feature in flight.
• Males have bright yellow bills, while females have deep to pale orange bills, occasionally lined with black splotches.
• Behaviour and voice are identical to those of the mallard.

Habitat

Found along the Gulf of Mexico coast between Alabama and Tamaulipas, Mexico, and in central and southern Florida. Breeding habitat consists primarily of brackish and intermediate coastal marshes, though the birds also utilise human-developed areas such as retaining ponds, water impoundments, and agricultural land. They are resident year-round and do not migrate.

Diet

Mottled ducks forage by dabbling in shallow water and grazing on land. Their diet is mainly plant-based but includes some mollusks and aquatic insects.

Did you know?

The species is one of the most frequently banded waterfowl in the world, with approximately one in twenty individuals banded, making it an extremely prized and sought-after bird among hunters.