Identification - The male's green head and neck, white neck ring and dark brown chest are diagnostic. Also note the black rump, yellow bill and orange legs. Females are a mottled brown with orange legs and bill. Both sexes have a blue wingpatch or speculum bordered on the leading and trailing edges by white. In flight, this field mark separates both Mallard sexes from all other ducks. In summer, males in eclipse plumage can be distinguished most easily from females by their greenish-yellow bills.
Morsels - This, the most familiar of all the ducks in the world, has given rise to several domestic breeds. While most waterfowl, such as the Mallard, live less than ten years, banding has shown that some may live up to 29 years.
