# Mexican Duck (*Anas diazi*) The Mexican Duck is a beautiful bird with a shiny green head and a soft brown body. They love to swim in ponds and eat plants and small insects. These ducks are friendly and can often be seen in groups! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Mexican Duck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anas_diazi_Ciudad_Guzman_Wetlands.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anas_diazi_Ciudad_Guzman_Wetlands.jpg) ## Appearance The Mexican Duck is a medium-sized dabbling duck with an overall dark brown, mottled body. It has a bright yellow-orange bill with a dark tip, especially noticeable on males. Unlike the similar Mallard, it lacks a distinct white border around its blue-green wing patch. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Anas ## Interesting facts - Mexican Ducks were once thought to be the same species as the Mallard! - Newly hatched ducklings can swim and find their own food within hours! - These ducks can live in cool mountain wetlands, high above sea level! - They often build their nests well-hidden in tall reeds right at the water's edge. ## Special abilities - **Stealth Camouflage:** Mexican Duck has mottled brown feathers that help them blend perfectly with wetland plants and reeds. - **Dabbling Dynamo:** Mexican Duck tips upside-down in shallow water to reach submerged food without fully diving. - **High-Altitude Helper:** Mexican Duck can live comfortably in mountain wetlands, adapting to cooler, thinner air. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 51-56 cm - **Wingspan:** 81-91 cm - **Weight:** 0.8-1.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 7-12 - **Incubation:** 22-26 days ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores eat a mix of plants and small creatures found in wetland waters. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic plant seeds, aquatic plant leaves, aquatic insects, larvae, small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Preys on adult ducks and ducklings. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raids nests for eggs and ducklings. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Hunts ducklings and juvenile ducks. - **Shelter:** Broadleaf Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Provides dense cover for nests and young. - **Eats:** [Longleaf Pondweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/longleaf-pondweed) (*Potamogeton nodosus*) — Consumes seeds, leaves, and stems from this plant. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch ducks from a distance and don't feed them bread, as it can be bad for their tummies. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mexican Duck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Mexican Duck? 51-56 cm ### What is Mexican Duck's wingspan? 81-91 cm ### How much does Mexican Duck weigh? 0.8-1.2 kg ### How long does Mexican Duck live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Mexican Duck move? 80 km/h ### What does Mexican Duck eat? These omnivores eat a mix of plants and small creatures found in wetland waters. ### Where is Mexican Duck usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-nature-center-and-botanical-gardens) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-research-institute) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Duncan](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-duncan) — US · Historic Site [View all places to see Mexican Duck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mexican-duck) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Mexican Duck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mexican-duck)