Ring-necked Duck vs Mallard
Aythya collaris compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ring-necked Duck | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya collaris | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 39.0 cm (15.4 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 825.5 g (29.12 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by benthic … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 6-14 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds on boreal lakes and bogs in North America from Alaska and Canada south to the northern United States. Winters on freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and marshes across the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Ring-necked Duck
Male produces a low, purring wheeze; female gives a harsh, rolling quack. The purring male call is understated; found on North American freshwater lakes; female calls are emphatic and nasal.
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
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds in western Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Ring-necked Duck
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Ring-necked Duck
Males black back and breast; gray flanks with white vertical mark near breast. Iridescent dark purple head with subtle chestnut neck ring. Bill blue-gray with white ring near tip. Females …
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
Ring-necked Duck
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy black head and breast, white flank stripe, and a grey bill with a white ring near the tip; females are brown. Named for an inconspicuous brown neck ring. Common in North America. Dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates.
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.