A female mallard duck is called a hen or a duck. Male mallard ducks are called drakes. Together, a male and female mallard are called a duck and drake. The scientific name for a mallard duck is Anas platyrhynchos. The word “mallard” refers to both male and female ducks of this widespread dabbling duck species.
Mallard ducks are one of the most common and widespread duck species in North America. They can be found in city parks, suburban neighborhoods, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and ponds across the continent. The male mallard with his iconic iridescent green head and curving yellow bill is a familiar sight, but the drab-colored female may go unnoticed. So what exactly do we call the female mallard duck?
Like many bird species, mallard ducks exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females have different plumage or physical appearance. This difference in appearance between the sexes has led to distinct names for the male and female ducks.
Male and Female Names
A male mallard duck is called a drake. The term drake refers specifically to an adult male duck in general. Drakes are known for their colorful plumage during breeding season, when they develop bright green heads, a white neck ring, chestnut breast, and curled tail feathers.
A female mallard duck is simply referred to as a hen or a female mallard. She has mottled brown-and-tan plumage which allows her to blend into vegetation while incubating eggs on the nest. Her understated feathers provide camouflage and protect the nest from predators.
Together, a mated pair of mallards is called a duck and drake. The duck refers to the female mallard, while the drake refers to the male mallard.
Scientific Classification
The scientific name for a mallard duck is Anas platyrhynchos. Mallards belong to the following taxonomic classification:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae |
| Genus | Anas |
| Species | A. platyrhynchos |
The genus Anas encompasses dabbling ducks, including mallards, pintails, wigeons, teals, and shovelers. The species name platyrhynchos refers to the mallard’s wide flat bill.
Plumage Differences
The strikingly different plumage of male and female mallards is a classic example of sexual dimorphism in birds. As mentioned, the male mallard or drake has colorful breeding plumage including:
- Iridescent green head
- Distinct white neck ring
- Light gray body
- Chestnut-colored breast
- Bright yellow bill
- Curled black tail feathers
His flashy feathers signal to females that he is fit and healthy. The hen or female mallard is mostly mottled brown, tan, and buff colored with darker brown and orange bills. Her plainer plumage allows her to blend in with vegetation while nesting and evade predators.
Mallard Habitat and Diet
Mallards have an extremely wide range, living across North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. They are flexible and opportunistic birds found in city parks, farms, ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes, and other wetland environments. Mallards are omnivorous, feeding mainly on plants like water lilies, pondweeds, smartweeds, and wild grains. They also eat aquatic invertebrates like insects, snails, and crustaceans as well as tadpoles and small fish.
Mallard Behavior and Life Cycle
Mallards are highly social birds that congregate in large flocks called sords during fall and winter. As breeding season approaches in spring, males become aggressive establishing territories and courting females. Mallards form monogamous pair bonds during breeding season, although forced extra-pair copulations by other males are common.
The female mallard builds a well-concealed nest on the ground near water, lining it with available plant material and down feathers plucked from her breast. She will lay 6-15 pale greenish-blue eggs over a period of about 2 weeks. Only the female incubates the eggs for approximately 28 days until hatching. The ducklings are precocial, able to swim and find their own food immediately after hatching while protected under the hen’s care. They fledge at around 10 weeks old.
Mallard Populations and Conservation
Mallards are an abundant and widespread species with an estimated global population of 19 million. Mallard numbers increased significantly in the 20th century due to hunting restrictions and creation of artificial wetlands and paddy fields providing ideal habitat. They are classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Mallards are a popular game species managed for hunting through monitoring, regulation, and sustainable harvest limits.
Symbolism and Significance to Humans
The mallard is culturally significant and appears in myths, legends, idioms, and folklore across many societies. Mallards are associated with resourcefulness, adaptability, fidelity, and new beginnings. They were domesticated by Native Americans and continue to be raised on farms for meat, eggs, down feathers, foie gras, and as ornamental birds. The mallard is the state bird of South Dakota.
Conclusion
In summary, the female mallard duck goes by several common names including hen, female mallard, or simply duck. She can be distinguished from the colorful male drake by her understated mottled brown plumage that provides camouflage. Mallards are abundant dabbling ducks with an extremely broad range and habitat. The widespread mallard is an important game species as well as a cultural icon. So next time you see those ducks at the park, remember: the brown one is called the hen!