Mottled Duck
Mottled Duck: Medium dabbling duck with dark brown mottled body, feathers usually show distinct multi-toned chevrons, buff-brown face and unmarked neck, darker crown and eye line. Speculum is blue-green bordered with black and fine white bars. Bill is bright yellow; legs and feet are orange.
● Song:
"quack"
● Foraging & Feeding:
Mottled Duck: Dabbles in shallow marshes and ponds for mollusks, crustaceans, snails, insects, fish, seeds, and aquatic vegetation. Also feeds on grass, grain, and berries.
● Breeding & nesting:
Mottled Duck: Monogamous. Ground nest consists of scrape in dry area of marsh, usually near water. Nest built by female, concealed by surrounding vegetation, lined with down, breast feathers. Eight to twelve unmarked creamy to green white eggs. Female incubates for 25 to 27 days. Prococial young, fledge at 60 to 70 days, attended by female.
● Similar species:
Mottled Duck: American Black Duck is darker overall with darker face and purple speculum. Female mallard is lighter overall, with more orange bill often with black cere, paler tail and rump, and blue speculum distinctly bordered with white.