Mallard

Mallard (anas platyrhynchos). The area of nesting mallard - one of the most known and widely widespread kinds of ducks - reaches through all Europe, Asia and Northern America. The border of the natural habitat of mallard passes on the southern border of our country. On the biggest part of the habitat it is a bird of passage. The basic places of wintering of mallards, nesting Belarus, are located in Western Europe. But in recent times many territories, suitable for wintering of birds both in the Western Europe, and in our country, were intensively accustomed by the people and this fact has led to its strong reduction. It was reflected in number of many kinds of a waterfowl. Mallard has suffered less than others from the reduction of the areas, suitable for wintering. Being one of the most plastic kinds among waterfowl, mallards have started to remain on wintering on the nonfreezing reservoirs located near to areas of nesting. It is the most numerous kind of waterfowl in Belarus. With approach of the period of hunting intensively pursued birds leave former places of dwelling and gather in a big quantity on the day’s rest in remote spaces. Until recently such day "gardens" settled down in overgrown bush bogs with the open windows of water, deaf spaces of fluvial meadows, however now the majority of mallards spend day’s rest on large reservoirs near to the islands, on the lowered fish-breeding ponds, and also on the reservoirs located in cities where ducks also feel in safety. Economic value of mallards is very big. It is the basic object of sports hunting.