Fast Fact: Mallards

Cows moo, pigs oink and ducks quack, right? It’s true, but not all ducks quack. In fact, most ducks don’t quack. The sound you think of when you think of a quacking duck is the sound of a female mallard. Male mallards don’t quack at all. Instead, they make a quieter raspy sound.

Mallards are a common sight around our waterways, and people often feed them bread, crackers and other human foods. These foods aren’t good for them, though. It’s like you eating a lot of junk food. In the wild, mallards eat a wide variety of foods, including plant matter, insects and crustaceans. Bread is never on the menu, though.

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A male (left) and female mallard. (Photo by Anthony Schalk)