Mallard

Mallard photographed in Manitoba

Everyone knows a mallard. The drake’s glossy green head, yellow bill, white collar, and curled black tail feathers make him one of the best-known ducks anywhere, and the female’s mottled brown plumage is perfectly built for hiding on the nest. They are among the first ducks to arrive in spring, as soon as there is open water.

Mallards live on nearly every type of wetland in Manitoba, from prairie potholes to city ponds, and they are the ancestors of most domestic ducks. The female gives the familiar loud quack that people associate with all ducks, while the drake’s call is a softer rasp. A nest might hold a dozen eggs, and the ducklings can swim as soon as they hatch. Some mallards stay through winter wherever there is open water.

To learn more about the mallard and its habitat, visit its species page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 3
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 4
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 6
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 8
  • Mallard photographed in Manitoba, 9
  • Female mallard beside a brood of nearly grown ducklings resting on a muddy bank, Manitoba

Mallard Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the mallard in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the mallard nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the mallard in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Southern Arctic, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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