Ava PhippsAugust 26, 2026Kingswood Lake
Green Heads
By far the most common duck in North America, mallards are widespread and incredibly adaptable to various environments. On campus, our wintering flock can get up to 400 individuals, some of whom have aberrant plumage and unique personalities.
Sexual Dimorphism
Mallards exhibits sexual dimorphism, meaning the males sport green heads, orange chests, and white backs in the winter while the females are brown with distinct striped markings. During the non mating season, males will look almost identical to females. To tell females from males apart during the summer, note that males have bright yellow beaks and females have dimmer, striped beaks no matter the season.
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