Mallard ducks are one of the most common and widespread duck species in North America. They live in a variety of wetland habitats across most of the continental United States and Hawaii. Understanding where mallards live and their habitat preferences can help bird watchers know where to look for them.
What is the natural range of the mallard in the US?
Mallards naturally occur throughout most of the lower 48 states, except for South Florida, the southwestern deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas, and the high elevations of the Rocky Mountains. They are also absent from Alaska but have been introduced there. Mallards live throughout Hawaii as well.
The mallard’s natural breeding range covers most of central and eastern North America. This includes all of the Midwest and Great Plains states eastward to the Atlantic coast. Their range extends north into Canada and south to Mexico and the Gulf Coast. Mallards are abundant in major wetland areas like the Prairie Pothole Region, Great Lakes states, and Mississippi River Delta.
What types of habitat do mallards use?
Mallards are a highly adaptable species and occupy diverse wetland habitats. Their preferred habitats include:
- Shallow marshes – With emergent vegetation like cattails for nesting
- Pond edges – For feeding and loafing
- Rivers and streams – Slow moving with shoreline vegetation
- Wooded swamps – With trees for perching
- Flooded agricultural fields – Like rice paddies or corn fields
- Lakes and reservoirs – Sheltered bays and inlets
Mallards particularly like small, shallow wetlands with dense vegetation. These provide food, nesting sites, and cover from predators. Large open water areas are used for roosting and staging. Mallards avoid fast flowing streams and rivers.
How does mallard habitat vary by region in the US?
The specific wetland habitats mallards occupy can vary across their range due to differences in climate, topography, and ecology between regions.
Northeast
In New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes states, mallards inhabit:
- Coastal marshes
- Beaver ponds
- Wooded swamps
- Edges of lakes and reservoirs
- Slow rivers with abundant vegetation
Southeast
In the Southeastern states from Virginia to Texas, favored mallard habitats are:
- Bottomland hardwood swamps
- Cypress ponds
- Flooded agricultural fields like rice
- Coastal marshes
- Reservoirs and pond edges
Midwest/Great Plains
In the Prairie Pothole region, Corn Belt, and Great Plains, mallards live in:
- Shallow prairie marshes
- Potholes and sloughs
- Edges of lakes and reservoirs
- Flooded corn and soybean fields
- Slow streams and rivers
West
In the western states mallards occupy:
- Mountain meadows
- Saltwater marshes along the Pacific Coast
- Reservoirs, lakes, and ponds
- Flooded irrigated fields
- Large river floodplains
Hawaii
In Hawaii, mallards are common in:
- Freshwater marshes
- Flooded taro fields
- Ponds
- Reservoirs
- River mouths
How do mallards use different habitats seasonally?
Mallards occupy different wetland habitats at different times of year depending on their life cycle needs:
- Breeding – small, shallow marshes for nesting
- Brood rearing – wet meadows, pond edges with cover from predators
- Fall staging – large open lakes and reservoirs to gather in flocks before migration
- Wintering – coastal marshes, unfrozen rivers, reservoirs farther south
Breeding habitat with protective cover and abundant invertebrates for ducklings is especially important. Winter habitat needs areas with ice-free water for roosting and feeding.
How does mallard habitat vary between urban and rural areas?
Mallards are adaptable birds found both in natural wetlands and man-made habitats in urban areas. Differences include:
Rural
- Prairie potholes
- Marshy lakeshores
- Slow rivers
- Forested swamps
- Flooded agricultural fields
Urban/Suburban
- Ponds in city parks
- Lakes in urban reserves
- Stormwater retention ponds
- Drainage ditches
- Reservoirs
- River and stream corridors
Urban wetlands are often smaller and more isolated than natural habitats. But they provide important oases for migrating and wintering mallards.
How do mallard habitats and distribution vary across seasons?
Mallards occupy different parts of their range during summer nesting season and winter:
Summer
- Breed mostly in the Northern U.S. and Canada
- Highest densities in Prairie Pothole Region
- Also common across Midwest and Northeast
- Scattered breeding farther south
Winter
- Concentrate farther south in lower 48 states
- Abundant across South and Southeast
- Also found along West Coast and Great Lakes region
- Some remain as far north as they can find open water
The availability of quality breeding wetlands draws mallards northward to nest. Milder climates and ice-free habitat in the south support their winter ranges.
How do habitat loss and degradation affect mallards?
Wetland drainage and destruction have greatly reduced mallard habitat, especially in the Prairie Pothole Region. Mallards face continued threats including:
- Agricultural conversion – Drains marshes for crops
- Urban development – Fills wetlands for buildings
- Pollution – Degrades water quality
- Invasive species – Alters wetland plant communities
- Climate change – Alters hydrology
Careful wetland conservation and restoration efforts help provide quality habitat across the mallard’s range. Mallards readily use artificial wetlands in urban and agricultural settings.
Conclusions
In summary, mallard ducks occupy diverse wetland habitats across most of the continental U.S. They breed mainly in the Northern U.S. and Canada taking advantage of prairie potholes and other productive marshes. Mallards winter farther south where ice-free aquatic habitat allows them to feed and roost. Their ability to thrive in human-influenced landscapes means mallards will remain a widespread and adaptable duck. But continued wetland conservation is important for maintaining healthy populations of this iconic species into the future.