Mexican Duck - BirdForum Opus

Male
Photo © by bobsofpa
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Arizona, USA, 6 May 2005

Anas diazi

Identification

• Streaked brown body, darker than Mallard
• Plain head
• Blackish tail and tail-coverts
• Greenish-blue speculum with narrow white edges (less distinct than in Mallard)
• Uniformly yellowish bill

Sexes similar.

Distribution

Female
Photo © by bobsofpa
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Arizona, USA, 2 May 2010

Found in southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico and western Texas south to central Mexico.
Still common in its range but threatened by hybridization with Mallard, which is spreading south in the USA.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹.
Formerly considered conspecific with Mallard and also sometimes considered conspecific with Mottled Duck.

Habitat

From small ponds on farms and in town parks up to the largest reservoirs, and also swamps and marshes.

Behaviour

Diet

Diet includes insects, seed, roots, grain either whilst dabbling or on land.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Mexican Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Mexican_Duck

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