BIRDS
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Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
The mallard is quite a large water bird that can easily be spotted in the ponds of the Royal Łazienki. The sexual dimorphism is clearly noticeable when comparing males and females – the male is coloured, with a head glittering in green, while the female has an inconspicuous brown colour. In summer, many people wonder what has happened to the males of mallards, why they can no longer be seen in the Łazienki park. These birds do not disappear, but after the breeding season they undergo the moulting process when they change their plumage from nuptial to basic. Then the male also becomes brown. It can be distinguished from females by the colour of the beak – the female’s beak is orange-black, while the male’s one is yellow-green.