Adult Male:
Head and upper neck are glossy dark green; the lower neck has a narrow, pure white collar. Upper back and shoulders are pale grayish-brown, transitioning to dark purplish-brown on the lower neck and chest. Rump and uppertail coverts are black. The central four tail feathers are black with a green sheen. Outer tail feathers are pale gray with white edges, except for a brownish-gray band near the feather shaft. Wing coverts are dark gray or grayish-brown; the greater coverts have black tips and a white band near the tips, creating two distinct white and black bands across the wing.
The speculum is steel-blue, bordered by black and white. Primary and secondary flight feathers are dark brown. Underparts, flanks, and belly are pale grayish-white, with fine dark brown barring. Undertail coverts are velvety black.
Female:
Chin and throat are pale grayish-brown. The remaining underparts and upperparts are dark brown edged with pale grayish-brown. The dark markings on the breast and belly are reduced to longitudinal streaks. Tail feathers are brown edged with pale grayish-brown. Wings are similar to the male’s.
Male (Winter Plumage):
Similar to the female, but the head is darker, and the upperparts to the tail resemble the summer plumage. Eyes are brown. The bill is dull yellowish-gray or grayish-green tinged with brown. Legs are reddish-orange.
Measurements:
- Wing (male): 266 – 292 mm, (female): 232 – 276 mm
- Tail: 80 – 97 mm
- Tarsus: 40 – 45 mm
- Bill (male): 50 – 57 mm, (female): 44 – 55 mm
Distribution:
The Mallard is distributed across Europe, North Africa, Central and North Asia. In winter, they migrate south to Central Africa, India, South China, and Indochina. In Vietnam, the Mallard occurs in the northern plains during the winter.