Mallard

One of the most familiar ducks on park ponds. A breeding male’s green head is striking, while the female’s brown markings blend into waterside vegetation.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Start close to home

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: All year
Where to start: St Stephen’s Green, Phoenix Park ponds, the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal.
What to do when you arrive: Watch water and banks from park paths. Learn males first, then compare the wing patch on brown females. Do not lure birds with bread; leave resting space.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes

How to identify it

Breeding males have a green head, yellow bill, white neck ring, chestnut breast and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both have a white-edged blue-purple wing patch; males briefly look more female-like during the summer moult.

Habitat

Ponds, canals, lakes, rivers and shallow wetlands.

Behaviour

Dabbles with its head underwater and tail raised to find plants and small animals, and also feeds on land. Please do not feed bread.

When to look

All year

Where to look

St Stephen’s Green, Phoenix Park ponds, the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Recent encounters

1 public sightings

ceclinux photographedMallard — **ceclinux**@ceclinux

2026-09-23