Mottled Duck vs Mallard
Anas fulvigula compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mottled Duck | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas fulvigula | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 48.9 cm (19.3 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 1027.5 g (36.24 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates; saw-edged bill grips prey; diet strongly fish-dominated year-round. | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 9-13 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mottled Duck
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.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Mottled Duck
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.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mottled Duck
Breeds across sub-Arctic and boreal regions of Eurasia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Mottled Duck
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Mottled Duck
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
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
About These Birds
Mottled Duck
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.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.