Mottled Duck

About

A medium-sized buff-brown dabbling duck closely related to the Mallard, with a plain brown body, yellow bill, and blue speculum. Non-migratory; restricted to coastal marshes of Florida and the Gulf Coast. Threatened by hybridization with introduced Mallards in Florida.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	48.9 cm	19.3 in
Weight	1027.5 g	36.24 oz

Identification

Plumage

Rich mottled brown plumage with buff-edged feathers and pale buff head and throat. Dark crown and eye stripe. Iridescent blue speculum with white border. Yellow-orange bill. Sexes similar. Resembles non-breeding Mallard.

Habitat & Range

Coastal freshwater and brackish marshes, wet prairies, and gulf coast wetlands in Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico coast to Texas. Non-migratory year-round resident. Threatened by Mallard hybridization.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds across sub-Arctic and boreal regions of Eurasia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates; saw-edged bill grips prey; diet strongly fish-dominated year-round.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP.

Clutch Size

9-13

Sound

Song

Female gives a loud, Mallard-like quacking series; male produces a soft, nasal note. Alarm call is a rapid, emphatic quacking burst; flocks generate a loud chorus on Gulf Coast marshes.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Anas
Species	Anas fulvigula

Distribution

Mottled Duck has been recorded in 1 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇳🇴 Norway

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Mottled Duck eat?

Dives for freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates; saw-edged bill grips prey; diet strongly fish-dominated year-round.

Where does the Mottled Duck live?

Coastal freshwater and brackish marshes, wet prairies, and gulf coast wetlands in Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico coast to Texas. Non-migratory year-round resident. Threatened by Mallard hybridization.

Is the Mottled Duck endangered?

The Mottled Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Mottled Duck nest?

Nest type: CP.

What does the Mottled Duck sound like?

Female gives a loud, Mallard-like quacking series; male produces a soft, nasal note. Alarm call is a rapid, emphatic quacking burst; flocks generate a loud chorus on Gulf Coast marshes.

How big is the Mottled Duck?

The Mottled Duck has a wingspan of 48.9 cm, weight of 1027.5 g.

What order and family does the Mottled Duck belong to?

The Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.