Mallard spotted in Hyderabad
The Hindu
The Mallard or the wild duck with an iridescent green or blue-headed plumage was spotted in the city
Rashmitha T Juvvadi, Pranay S Juvvadi, Ismail Shariff and Jitender Kumar Soni who were on a recreational walk at Sanjeeviah Park on Tank Bund on Friday morning were in for a surprise when Ismail alerted the group that he had spotted a Mallard.
The Himalayan Mallard belongs to the duck family and is commonly seen in the colder regions of north India but not seen in the western and southern regions of the country. While a few rare sightings have been recorded in the western belt of Maharashtra, there is no recorded sighting to date in Telangana. Scientifically known as Anas Platyrhynchos, and commonly called the wild duck, the Mallard belongs to the duck family but has a most distinctive feature in the iridescent green or blue-headed plumage of the male.
The Mallard is a dabbling duck that feeds on all aquatic plants and vegetation near the surface of the water as well as insects and snails. Mallards are domesticated and are commonly-reared pets in areas where they are easily found and are reared for food.