Meller's Duck vs Mallard
Anas melleri compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Meller's Duck | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas melleri | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 49.1 cm (19.3 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 1023.625 g (36.11 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates in fast-flowing rivers; serrated bill grips slippery fish; diet … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 5-11 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Meller's Duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and rice paddies in the eastern highlands and north of Madagascar. Prefers undisturbed native forest wetlands. Endangered by hunting and habitat conversion.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Meller's Duck
Female produces a loud, resonant quacking sequence; male gives a soft, nasal grunt. This large Malagasy duck vocalizes with powerful quacking calls along forest rivers and 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
Meller's Duck
Resident in wetlands and lakes from Turkey and Egypt through East Africa to the Cape. Non-migratory and widely distributed.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Meller's Duck
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Meller's Duck
Dark brown-olive plumage streaked and mottled with pale buff; resembles large dark Mallard without green head. Iridescent green speculum with white borders. Yellow-brown bill; orange legs. Madagascar endemic.
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
Meller's Duck
A large brown dabbling duck resembling a female Mallard but larger, with green iridescent speculum and orange bill. Endemic to Madagascar. Endangered; threatened by hunting and wetland loss. One of Madagascar's rarest birds.
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.