Mallard

Male and female Mallards need little introduction. One of the most common British birds, they can be found on almost any pond in the UK. The male is distinctive but there are at least half a dozen other species of duck which share similar looks with the female in the foreground of this picture, The Gadwall and Pintail to name two. These ducks frequently interbreed with other species of duck from the same genus which is leading to genetic dilution and posing a threat to the existence of other rarer ducks. There are over sixty species of duck that Mallards may breed with. Mallards are common in  many parts of the world including China, North America, Siberia and North Africa to name a few.