AnimalsThe mallard is the most familiar wild duck and the ancestor of most farm ducks. The male has a shiny green head. The female is mottled brown. Ducks have waterproof feathers and webbed feet.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Anas platyrhynchos
- Group
- Birds
- Diet
- Omnivore (eats plants and animals)
- Lives in
- North America, Europe and Asia
- Habitat
- Ponds, lakes and rivers
- A young one is called
- duckling
- A group is called
- flock or raft
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
How it is classified
Scientists sort living things into groups within groups. Reading down, each step is a smaller group, ending with the species itself.
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anatidae
- Genus Anas
- Species Anas platyrhynchos
Other members of the family Anatidae on this site: mute swan.
Classification follows the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Other reference works arrange some groups differently. How classification works.
Is it in danger?
The mallard is listed as Least Concern. The species is widespread or numerous enough that it is not considered at risk of extinction at present.
This is the IUCN Red List category as recorded in Wikidata on 11 November 2026. The IUCN Red List itself is the authority and may carry a newer assessment. What the categories mean.