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All About Birds

All About Birds

Mallard

Overview
ID Info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Mallard Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Female calls
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New York, March 23, 1956Recorded by Arthur A. Allen | Macaulay Library
Female calls
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New York, April 30, 1995Recorded by Gregory Budney | Macaulay Library
Male display and calls
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New York, March 23, 1956Recorded by Arthur A. Allen | Macaulay Library
Male calls
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Alberta, May 03, 1966Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library
Male calls
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New York, May 20, 1981Recorded by David Sibley | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Calls

The quintessential duck’s quack is the sound of the female mallard. Females often give this call in a series of 2–10 quacks that begin loudly and get softer. When courting, she may give a paired form of this quack. The male does not quack; instead he gives a quieter, rasping, one- or two-noted call. Ducklings make soft, shrill whistles when alarmed.

Other Sounds

Males make a rattling noise by rubbing the bill against the flight feathers in a special display that resembles stylized preening. This display is given toward a mate and presumably helps maintain the pair bond.

Compare with Similar Species

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More to Read

NestWatch
Build a Nest Structure for a Mallard
Simple Steps for Identifying Confusing Brown Ducks—Females and Otherwise
Macaulay Library
How to Recognize Duck Courtship Displays

eBird
Identifying hybrid Mottled Ducks
Bird Academy
Be a Better Birder: Duck and Waterfowl Identification Course
Why Birds Hit Windows—and How You Can Help Prevent It

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