PHILIPPINE MALLARD 
ANAS LUZONICA Fbasek 
(Plate 24) 
Synonymy 
Anas luzonica Fraser, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1839, p. 113. 
Anas luconica Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 18, p. 358, 1870. 
Vernacular Names 
English: Philippine Mallard. 
Filipino: {Manila) Dumaras; (Ticao) Damulog. 
DESCRIPTION 
Adult Male: In general appearance similar to Anas superciliosa, but the plumage is more gray and 
very uniform, both above and below. Top of head dark brown, extending back into the gray of hind 
neck. A superciliary stripe, the sides of the head, chin, throat and under side of neck a ruddy buff, or 
rufous color. Through the eye and extending from the bill to the occiput is a wide blackish band. 
Back and rump much darker than rest of plumage. Wing with a purplish green speculum bordered 
in front and behind by black bands and also by narrow anterior and posterior white bars. 
Iris hazel. Bill lead-blue. Legs and feet blackish brown (J. Whitehead, 1899). 
Wing 240-250 mm.; bill 54; tarsus 46. 
Adult Female: Similar, but slightly smaller. Wing 235 mm.; bill 51; tarsus 46. 
Immature : Similar to adult, only much paler on the head and throat, which are scarcely tinged with 
rufous; the speculum less bright and with some purple reflections (Salvadori, 1895). 
DISTRIBUTION 
The Philippine Mallard has never been met with outside the Philippine archipelago. Recent years 
have shown it to have a wide distribution in those islands. It is essentially a rare bird and is seldom 
seen in great numbers. The species was discovered by L. Fraser (1839) on the island of Luzon, and 
for many years was known only from that island. It has been recorded from there by Cuming 
(British Museum), Heriot (British Museum), J. Whitehead (1899) and R. C. McGregor (1909), 
while Worcester {fide R. C. McGregor, 1909) found it in great numbers on the lower Abulug 
River in March. J. Whitehead (1899) found it on Catanduanes, and R. C. McGregor (1909) has 
recorded it from Lubang. It occurs on Mindoro (R. C. McGregor, 1909) and also on Marinduque 
(Steere, 1890), Ticao (R. C. McGregor, 1909) and Masbate, where Worcester and Bourns (1898) 
found it common at Milagros on the west coast. It has also been recorded from Samar (J. White- 
head, 1899), Panay (Worcester and Bourns, 1898), Guimaras and Siquijor (Steere, 1890), and even 
from Mindanao (Mearns, ^de R. C. McGregor, 1909). Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Leyte are the only 
ones of the larger islands from which it has not yet been reported. 
