MALLARD : Anas platyrhynchos
Where to see them : Almost any open water and sometimes even on lawns or under trees when the weather is inclement.
Mallard are very common around West Dunbartonshire's waterway and can also be encourntered some distance from water when they seek respite from inclement weather. They don't even mind if the water is in a natural area or an urban park. And so they are the most likely water bird we will see.
They enjoy being fed bread by children, but the RSPB is quick to emphasise that this is not recommended. Contrary to popular belief, their favourite food includes: seeds, aquatic vegetation, acorns, berries, plants, insects and shellfish. Although they appear to enjoy eating bread, this can actually harm them, and reduce the water quality. Bird seed or special duck food makes a great alternative. They do not dive down under the water, but instead tend to tip forward with their tails in the air. They also forage for food on land, around the waters edge and in farmers’ fields.
The mallard is the ancestor of most domesticated farmyard ducks. Male and female mallards looks so different that they were originally thought to be different species.
The male, the drake, has a very distinctive irridescent green head and yellow bill.
Male mallard, drakes, can be quite competitive and you may see them explode into wild splashing about, with the one that backs down flying off with the "winner" following. But most of the time they get on very well and you are more likely to see mixed groups. Here are two drakes catching a nap. Well, look closely and you will see that they are peeking at this photographer. Can you sleep on one leg with someone watching?
The female is mottled brown. This offers excellent camouflage such as when hiding her brood of ducklings. This photo was taken onto a gravelled back yard near Renton. Mum and babies blend in well.
There's breakfast down there somewhere.......
.......got some... got some! Yummy slimy stuff.
Mallard will eat seeds, acorns and berries, plants, insects and shellfish. Upending like this enables them to eat water grass together with any aquatic bugs that they come across.
It is nearly mid-May. There are lots of mallard drakes about (males). But no hens (females). Why? Well they must be out of sight on their nests incubating the egss. Mallards start to pair up in October and November, and start to nest in March. The RSPB notes : The female builds a nest from leaves and grasses and lines it with down plucked from her breast. Eggs are laid between mid-March and the end of July. The normal clutch is about 12 eggs, laid at one to two day intervals. After each egg is added, the clutch is covered to protect it from predators.
Males, the drakes, can be very competitive and boisterous during the mating season, but the role of the male is almost over once the clutch is laid. He remains sexually potent for a while in case a replacement clutch is needed, but gradually loses interest and joins other males to moult. The females, the hens, meanwhile are very busy and generally out of sight.
A boys club of mallard drakes.
The drakes take no interest in the incubation of the nests. But they do their bit in other ways. The laying period is very stressful for the female as she lays more than half her body weight in eggs in a couple of weeks. She needs a lot of rest and depends heavily on her mate to protect her and their feeding and loafing areas.
By late May we see some drakes along the Leven towpath and they seem to agitated about us being to close to something - very likely a hidden nest.
Some ducklings are out on the water by now.
A mallard mum keeps a close eye on four ducklings. She has taken them to a quiet spot within the eddies, but this also has am accumulation of debris such as leaves and grass. She selects bits and offers them to the babies so teaching them what to eat.
RSPB : https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/mallard/breeding/
SCOTTISH WILDLIFE TRUST : https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/2020/03/the-secret-life-of-mallard-ducks/
THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS : A good reference to identify dabbling ducks : https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/how-identify-dabbling-ducks
A good reference to identify diving ducks : https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/how-identify-diving-ducks
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/waterfowl/mallard
