Mallard

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Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Anywhere with water.
Diet: Omnivore.
Best time to spot: Default duck of every park.

When to look

Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. More on the season in UK winter wildfowl.

How rare is it?

The Mallard sits in our Common tier for the UK: one of the birds you can expect on most days out in the right habitat. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Eurasian TealCommon · Marshes
• Black DuckEpic · Marshes (very rare vagrant)
• Green-winged TealRare · Marshes (winter vagrant)
• Northern PintailUncommon · Estuaries
• Eurasian WrenCommon · Everywhere with cover
• Booted EagleEpic · Mature forest with clearings

Kit that helps

Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.