Wood Duck vs Mallard
Aix sponsa comparé à Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Wood Duck | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aix sponsa | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | 58,0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Envergure | 44,1 cm (17.4 in) | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Poids | 691,75 g (24.40 oz) | 1100,0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Taille de la couvée | 9-15 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Wood Duck
Wooded swamps, beaver ponds, forested river margins, and tree-lined lakes in eastern and western North America. Nests in tree cavities up to 15m high. Readily uses nest boxes. Winters on wooded freshwater wetlands.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Wood Duck
Male gives a loud, rising 'jeeee' whistle; female gives a soft, nasal 'oo-eek'. One of North America's most beautiful ducks; its call matches its spectacular appearance.
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
Wood Duck
Breeds in Eurasia; winters across tropical and southern Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Statut de conservation
Wood Duck
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Wood Duck
Males iridescent green and purple-crested head with white throat patches and facial stripes. Chestnut breast, buffy flanks, dark back. Red eye and bill. Females gray-brown with white eye-ring teardrop. Spectacular …
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
Wood Duck
One of North America's most ornate ducks; males have an iridescent green-and-purple crested head, complex face patterning, chestnut breast, and colorful bill. Females are elegantly marked in brown and grey. Nests in tree cavities along forested waterways. Recovered strongly from near-extinction after 1918 legal protection.
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.