Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard

The Mallard is the common “wild duck” of the ponds and ditches.
A large duck, the male is a fine bird with greyish body, bright orange legs, yellowish bill and curly black feathers above the tail.
The female is dowdy brown with a pale eyestripe. Both sexes have a blue-green patch on the wing, edged on both sides with white.

The Mallard nests in a wide variety of situations near water.

Information extracted from the Appletree Press title
Appletree Deluxe Editions: Ireland's Flora & Fauna - Birds
by Gordon D'Arcy.