Mallard
When most people are asked to name a wild species of duck, the most common response is Mallard. The Mallard is, without a doubt, the world's most popular duck, familiar to even those who are not aviculturists or birders. It is the ancestor of all domestic breeds (with the exception of the Muscovy) and can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are extremely adaptable and can be seen on just about every type of water, from city parks to farm ponds to big rivers. At the Kansas City Zoo, "wild" Mallards are often seen stealing food from dishes on exhibits and begging for snacks from visitors. The drakes are often called Greenheads, the most recognizable feature is the drake's white neck-ring and glossy green head. The breast is dark brown and the rest of the body is gray. The drake has a bright yellow bill and orange legs and feet. Drakes also have the "curly-tail", a feature seen in all domestic ducks descendant of mallards. The hen is drab in comparision, being mostly mottled brown and black. Her bill is darker, and her legs and feet are orange as in the drake. Both sexes have a metallic blue wing speculum that is borded both in front and back by narrow bands of white and black.
