94 



GAME BIEDS OF CALIFOENIA 



The Mallard is the largest and most highly prized of the resident 

 ducks in California, and is widely distributed throughout the state. 

 A typical river duck, it is seldom found on salt water and only 

 sparingly on the marshes along the seacoast. It is most abundant on 

 the rivers, lakes and ponds of the interior, being partial to the freshest 

 water. A large number of Mallards breed within tlie state, but 

 their numbers are greatly augmented during the winter season by 

 migrants from the north. Tliis is a common breeding bird in Oregon, 

 Washington, British Columbia and southeastern Alaska ; in each of 

 these regions the species occurs in varying numbers in winter also, 

 but in northern and western Alaska it appears merely as a summer 

 resident and even then only in limited numbers. It is also one of 

 the commonest ducks of the middle west but is only a straggler in the 



Fig. 11. Side of tarsus aud foot of 

 Mallard. Natural size. 



Note that tarsus is shorter than middle 

 toe without claw (compare with fig. 37), 

 and that there is no large lobe on hind 

 toe (compare with fig. 22). 



states of the Atlantic Coast where its place is taken by the Black 

 Duck {Anas ruhripes) . 



For the majority of the people of the state the Greenhead or 

 Mallard is the duck most easily recognized, and it has been domes- 

 ticated to such an extent that it is familiar to many people who have 

 never seen it in the wild. The green head and white ring around 

 the neck easily identifies the male, while the large size together with 

 the violet wing-speculum bordered on both sides by black and white, 

 are sufficient to distinguish either sex of the Mallard from all other 

 ducks (pi. 2). In flight the white under surface of the wing often 

 helps in identification. When flushed at close range the white of the 

 spread tail in the male shows as a white band. Not only do tlie plainer 

 body colors of the female easily separate tliis sex from the male, but 

 its much louder call is by common testimony a noticeable trait. The 

 female Mallard when flushed in the open can be readily distinguished 

 from the female Pintail by its larger size, shorter neck and Avhite 

 under surface of Aving. At close range the conspicuous violet speculum 



