Female mallard on a pond in Basel’s recreation area ‘Grün 99′. The photo was taken yesterday.
The mallard is the most recognized waterfowl in the world and can be found almost anywhere. However, it dominates the Northern Hemisphere.
Both sexes have an iridescent blue speculum on the wings. On the male, the notable characteristics are the green iridescent plumage on the head and neck, and curled black feathers on the tail. The female’s plumage is drab brown.