Cool Critters: Have yourself a merry, malleable mallard

Splish-splash. Could the water-loving mallard be any merrier this time of year?

With Christmas just a few days away, this familiar duck species can be found almost anywhere in the Inland Northwest where there’s plenty of unfrozen water. And this December, unfrozen water is exceedingly plentiful.

Unseasonably heavy rainfall and mild temperatures have caused overflow from rivers, streams, lakes and ponds to spread into fields, grasslands and marshes. What’s more, rain percolating through soil has created a temporary network of nutrient-rich wetlands known as potholes.

So basically, our region’s warm, wet weather this month “helped expand the mallard’s habitat and food sources,” according to Kyle Spragens, waterfowl manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“With abundant water and plant matter to eat, our wintering mallards pretty much have everything they need right now,” he said, adding that there’s little need for them to roam far in search of food or sheltered areas that provide warmth.

All of which means, mallards might be more visible this holiday season. Look for them bobbing on shallow water along roadsides and hiking trails or in agriculture fields and neighborhood parks.

OK, you’re probably thinking, ho-hum, another mallard. So what? After all, mallards are so numerous and widespread that it’s easy to dismiss them.

“People often tell me they’re boring because they’re so common,” Spragens said. “My response is to try taking a closer look.”

First of all, mallards are pretty.

“They have some dramatic coloration,” Spragens explained.

The male has a shiny, emerald green head with a bold white ring around its neck and a bright yellow beak. The female’s feathering is a complex blend of brown, crème and gold. Both sexes display a flashy blue patch on their wings known as a speculum.

Also, notice the sounds they make. Contrary to popular belief, not all ducks go “quack.” That distinctive vocalization comes from the female mallard, Spragens said. It is not the sound of wood ducks, pintails, mergansers or teal, which also live in Washington state.

“The standard quack that everyone knows is the sound of a female mallard,” he explained, adding that male mallards make a quieter, rasping sound.

Furthermore, have you noticed how cute mallards look when they eat? In a maneuver called dabbling, they tip forward into the water to search for food with their bills as their butts stick straight up in the air.

And one final thing – there’s a reason that mallards are the most common duck in North America, including here in Washington state.

“Mallards are successful because they are adaptable, which allows them to exploit diverse habitats and resources,” according to Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit sports and conservation organization.

For one, mallards can live in all kinds of habitats, from remote marshes and wetlands to potholes and neighborhood puddles. They’re also more tolerant of the cold than most duck species, enabling them to stay year-round as long there’s open water and plenty of food.

Mallards are also generalists, eating everything from aquatic vegetation and insects to seeds, grains and even bread tossed by well-meaning humans. (Wildlife experts advise against handouts, as bread and crackers can cause a deformity in the birds’ wings that prevents them from flying.)

Additionally, mallards are … well, malleable to their environment. In places where duck hunting occurs, they are extremely wary of humans. In urban areas, though, they’re almost tame. Come summer, don’t be surprised if you spot a female nesting on a rooftop garden or inside a planter box.

“Hope is the thing with feathers,” Emily Dickson wrote in her classic poem. Maybe, just maybe, she was thinking of the mallard.