Mexican Duck
Anas diazi
Also known as: Mexican Mallard
About This Species
A resident dabbling duck of arid grassland ponds, rivers and marshes in the southwestern United States and Mexico, closely related to and known to hybridize with the mallard. It dabbles at the surface and up-ends in shallow water for seeds, aquatic plants and invertebrates, usually in pairs or small groups. Quiet desert wetlands and riparian corridors are the most consistent places to find it year-round.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Approach dabbling ducks slowly and stay back from the water's edge, since flushing a pair repeatedly can interrupt feeding and pairing behaviour, especially during breeding.
- It is vulnerable to being flightless during the wing molt, when birds should be given extra space and time to retreat to cover on their own.
- General waterfowl protections apply across its range, and local hunting seasons and regulations should be checked before any activity near a site.
NEAvesAnseriformesAnatidae
Seasonal Activity
151,521 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
Photo
(c) Oscar Báez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Oscar Báez
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.