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Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Bird · family Anatidae · order Anseriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Mallard
Photo: Rolf Dietrich Brecher from Germany, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
49 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
27 years[4]

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a duck in the family Anatidae[5]. It is ranked Secure by NatureServe[2] and is listed as native in 49 US states and territories[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Mallard as Secure worldwide[2] and Secure in the United States in both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The Mallard is not listed under the ESA as endangered or threatened[1]. It is on the federal list of migratory birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Mallard lives

NatureServe lists the Mallard as native in 49 US states and territories, from Alaska and Washington to Florida, Texas and Maine[3]. In Connecticut it is listed as introduced, which means it is not native there[10]. State ranks vary, and the table on this page shows each one[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: native, state rank S5B,S5NMEWisconsin: native, state rank S5BWIVermont: native, state rank S4B,S5NVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank S5B,S5NWAIdaho: native, state rank S4B,S4NIDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRBNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: native, state rank S5ORNevada: native, state rank S4B,S4NNVWyoming: native, state rank S5B,S4NWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5B,S5NSDIowa: native, state rank S4B,S5NIAIndiana: native, state rank S4INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S4BPANew Jersey: native, state rank S5NJConnecticut: introduced, state rank SNACTRhode Island: native, state rank S5B,S5NRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S4B,S4NUTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRB,SNRN,SNRMMOKentucky: native, state rank S3B,S4NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S5NWVVirginia: native, state rank S4VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5B,S5NDEArizona: native, state rank S5AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5B,S5NNMKansas: native, state rank S4B,S5NKSArkansas: native, state rank S5N,SNRBARTennessee: native, state rank S5BTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S5NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S4NSCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S4N,S5BDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5NLAMississippi: native, state rank S5NMSAlabama: native, state rank S3B,S5NALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S3B,S5NTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (50 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS3B,S5NVulnerable (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
AlaskaS5Secure
ArizonaS5Secure
ArkansasS5N,SNRBSecure (nonbreeding), Not Ranked (breeding)
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutSNANot Applicable
DelawareS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
District of ColumbiaS4N,S5BApparently Secure (nonbreeding), Secure (breeding)
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS4Apparently Secure
IowaS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
KansasS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
KentuckyS3B,S4NVulnerable (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
MaineS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
MississippiS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
MissouriSNRB,SNRN,SNRMNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding), Not Ranked (migrant)
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5Secure
New MexicoS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRBNot Ranked (breeding)
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS5Secure
PennsylvaniaS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
Rhode IslandS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS5B,S4NSecure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
South DakotaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
TennesseeS5BSecure (breeding)
TexasS3B,S5NVulnerable (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
UtahS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
VermontS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
VirginiaS4Apparently Secure
WashingtonS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
West VirginiaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS5BSecure (breeding)
WyomingS5B,S4NSecure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)

Habitat

Mallards mostly use shallow water, like ponds, marshes and flooded farm fields[12]. Outside the breeding season they stay mainly on fresh water and in crop fields, and less often in slightly salty water[12]. In Maryland, pairs with young used ponds built to hold storm runoff[12]. Nests are usually on the ground and hidden in plants, but sometimes in trees[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

Mallards eat both plants and small animals[14]. Their food includes seeds and roots of water plants, acorns, farm grain, insects, snails and other mollusks, frogs and small fish[15]. One estimate puts the diet at 40% invertebrates, 20% seeds, 20% other plant material, 10% reptiles and amphibians and 10% fish[16]. A typical Mallard is 58 cm (23 in) long[17] and weighs about 2 lb[18]. A female lays 5 to 14 eggs, usually 8 to 10, and sits on them for 26 to 30 days, and ducklings can fly when they are 49 to 60 days old[19]. The oldest known wild Mallard was at least 27 years 7 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 58 cm (23 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 1.1 kg (2 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[20] 29.1 years
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 27 years 7 months
Litter or clutch size[21] 9
Gestation or incubation[22] 26 days
Female maturity[23] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[14] Invertivore, Herbivore, Granivore
Migration[24] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 40% invertebrates
  • 20% seeds
  • 20% other plant material
  • 10% reptiles and amphibians
  • 10% fish

When to look for it

Mallards are active by day and also at dawn and dusk, which is called crepuscular[25]. Some populations stay put while others travel short or long distances[24]. Birds reach northern nesting areas in late March and early April, and the far north from mid-May into June[26]. They leave the north from late September into November[26]. GBIF records in the US peak in March, April and May[27].

January: 1,328,577 recordsJanFebruary: 1,197,953 recordsFebMarch: 1,724,400 recordsMarApril: 2,178,950 recordsAprMay: 2,179,557 recordsMayJune: 897,859 recordsJunJuly: 703,760 recordsJulAugust: 857,382 recordsAugSeptember: 953,386 recordsSepOctober: 1,063,071 recordsOctNovember: 1,123,223 recordsNovDecember: 1,116,281 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,328,577
February1,197,953
March1,724,400
April2,178,950
May2,179,557
June897,859
July703,760
August857,382
September953,386
October1,063,071
November1,123,223
December1,116,281

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Mallard as present in 236 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 212 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, New York, Washington, Colorado, Wisconsin[29]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Mallard endangered?
No. The Mallard is not listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA[1], and NatureServe ranks it Secure[2]. It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].
Where do Mallards live in the US?
NatureServe lists the Mallard as native in 49 US states and territories[3] and as introduced in Connecticut[10]. They mostly use shallow ponds, marshes and flooded fields[12].
What do Mallards eat?
Mallards eat seeds and roots of water plants, acorns, grain, insects, mollusks, frogs and small fish[15]. Adults eat mostly plant food, while ducklings start out eating mainly small animals like insects[15].
How big is a Mallard?
A typical Mallard is 58 cm (23 in) long[17] and weighs about 2 lb[18].
How long do Mallards live?
The oldest known wild Mallard was at least 27 years 7 months old[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Mallard is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Mallard: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Mallard as native in 49 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Mallard from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 27 years 7 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a bird in the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Mallard is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe lists Mallard as introduced (not native) in: Connecticut. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Mallard (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Mallard. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Mallard: Cropland/hedgerow, Temporary pool, Herbaceous wetland, Forested wetland, Bog/fen, Riparian, Low gradient, Shallow water, River mouth/tidal river, Lagoon, Tidal flat/shore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore, Herbivore, Granivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Mallard. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 40% invertebrates, 20% seeds, 20% other plant material, 10% reptiles and amphibians, 10% fish. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 58 cm (23 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1.1 kg (2 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  19. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Mallard. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 29.1 years. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  21. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 9. AnAge
  22. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 26 days. AnAge
  23. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  24. NatureServe migration category for Mallard: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for Mallard. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Mallard in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording Mallard as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  29. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Mallard: California, New York, Washington, Colorado, Wisconsin. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Rolf Dietrich Brecher from Germany, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.