Local Wildlife
Mallard
Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos
Audio: Listen Now
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More Info: Univ. of Michigan
Mallards live in most parts of the world and may be the most recognized waterfowl. The characteristic bright green plumage on the head and neck of the male make it very easy to identify. In contrast, the female's plumage is a drab brown...sharing only the blue streaks on its wings with the male.
They prefer to live near wetlands where they can find floating, emergent, and submerged vegetation upon which to feed. As a result, in Sunriver you are most likely to find them in Lake Aspen, the various lakes and ponds found throughout the Meadows and Woodlands golf courses, and in the small stream called Sun River.
Mallards consume a variety of foods including, but not limited to, vegetation, insects, and worms. They may also take advantage of human activity when desireable food (such as grain, bread, etc.) is left behind.
Mallard pairs may bond as early as October or as late as March. The female usually lays nine to thirteen eggs in a nest on the ground near a body of water. When the ducklings hatch, the hen leads them to water, never to return to the nest. After the breeding season, mallards generally migrate to warmer southern areas (though some may stay through the winter in areas where food and shelter are abundant).
