A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
Often the most common duck wherever ducks are common. Found throughout Sonoma County. Many resident (non-migrating) populations exist at parks, farm ponds, and the like, but Mallards use a wide variety of freshwater and (occasionally) saltwater habitats. Common year-round, but numbers increase in winter as migrating populations move in.
The male in breeding plumage is recognized by its iridescent green head, yellow bill, white neck ring, chestnut-brown breast, pale grey body, orange legs and feet, and by the curiously curling feathers at the rump. Tail is usually white. The blue speculum with white borders, sometimes visible when standing or at rest, is conspicuous in flight. Note that in some lights, the head may appear almost black. Female birds are mostly a scalloped brown, but with pale tail feathers, a black and white-bordered blue speculum, and a comparatively plain head with a dark eyeline. The bill is usually orange with black patterning (photos below).
Commonly mixes with barnyard animals and occasionally hybridizes with other wild species (Mallard variations and other curious ducks).
The challenges of female duck identification (includes a quiz)
Further reading:
Bolander and Parmeter, Birds of Sonoma County California, rev. ed., 2000, p. 30
Brinkley, National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2007, p. 38
Burridge, ed., Sonoma County Breeding Bird Atlas, 1995, p. 38
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 5th ed., 2006, p. 30
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 6th ed., 2011, p. 26
Dunne, Pete Dunne’s Essential Field Guide Companion, 2006, pp. 37-38
Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye, The Birder's Handbook, paperback edition, 1988, p. 66
Fix and Bezener, Birds of Northern California, 2000, p. 80
Floyd, Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2008, p. 39
Kaufman, Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2000, p. 26
Kaufman, Field Guide to Advanced Birding, 2011, pp. 34, 36, 124, 144, 148, 151, 154, 156, 159, 165
Lukas, Bay Area Birds: From Sonoma County to Monterey Bay, 2012, pp. 9-11
Parmeter and Wight, Birds of Sonoma County California, Update (2000-2010), 2012, no entry
Peterson, Birds of Eastern and Central North America, 5th ed., 2002, p. 68
Peterson, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, 4th ed., 2010, p. 26
Peterson, Western Birds, 3rd ed., 1990, p. 44
Sibley, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America,1st ed., 2003, p. 75
Stokes, Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 1st ed., 2010, p. 22-23
Vuilleumier, American Museum of Natural History, Birds of North America: Western Region, 2011, p. 48
Voice: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds--Mallard
© Colin Talcroft, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.
Female Mallard, Spring Lake, February 23, 2011
Female Mallard showing speculum, Lucchesi Park, Petaluma, November 8, 2011
Mallard, Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa, October 18, 2012
Mallard, Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa, October 18, 2012
Mallard in eclipse plumage? Spring Lake, October 27, 2011
By this time of year, birds generally are no longer in eclipse plumage. This bird may be a brown-headed variant.
Mallard mixes are common, but we occasionally see hybrids with other species, too.
These birds, apparently Mallard x Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa), are unusual.
Lucchesi Park, Petaluma, December 12, 2011
Mallard
Anas platyrynchos
1990-2013 Sonoma County data. Graph provided by eBird (www.ebird.org), generated July 19, 2013
EBird reported occurrence in Sonoma County
