by John Welford

Created on: April 18, 2008   Last Updated: September 21, 2008

To British ears of a certain age (50+ that is), the name "Mallard" will always mean the A4 class steam railway locomotive that, at 126 miles per hour, broke the world speed record for steam in 1938, and still holds it to this day.

However, the association between a streamlined loco, built for speed, and a bulky dabbling duck seems strange, until one realises that the whole class of steam engines was named after birds, and the record breaker could just as easily have been "Sparrow Hawk", "Golden Eagle" or "Kestrel"!

Even so, that is slightly unfair to the mallard duck, which is one of the fastest ducks in flight, and whose plumage (I refer to the males here) is every bit as impressive as the livery of the A4 in its prime.

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos to give it its Latinized scientific name) is about 23 inches long (58 cm). Its wingspan is about 35 inches (90 cm). Average weight is about 40 ounces (1200 gm).

The male mallard is one of the most easily recognized and distinctive birds on the water, with its metallic green head that reflects the light as it moves, especially when wet. The body is mostly grey, but with a brown chest. A thin white band on the neck separates the green of the head from the brown of the chest. Other features are a yellow to olive bill, black tail feathers, orange-red legs, and an iridescent purple-blue speculum patch on the wings.

The female is much less impressive in appearance, with a brownish-grey head and mottled brown body. Her bill is a darker color than is the male's, although she also has a dark blue speculum on her wings.

Mallards live on rivers, canals and lakes and are a familiar sight on village ponds and town boating lakes and ornamental water features. They also inhabit salt or brackish coastal wetlands, where they are traditional targets for hunters.

They are gregarious birds, and are often found in mixed groups, or of males only. They are only territorial during the breeding season, and, after the eggs are hatched, the males tend to leave the females to get on with the business of raising the ducklings. The males also lose their striking appearance as they moult, and do not fully regain it until the next breeding season. The moult of wing feathers may also make them flightless for a time.

Mallards live on vegetation and invertebrates, including insects, spiders, worms and gastropods (slugs and snails). In populated areas, they tolerate people very well and are happy to take bread and other scraps when offered.

They do not

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