Mlakarica (Anas platyrhynchos) is the most common and best-known duck in our country. It is the largest duck that nests here. It is roughly 50 to just over 60 cm long, and its wingspan ranges from 80 cm to almost 1 m.
The males are easily recognizable and unmistakable. In their breeding plumage they have a yellow bill, a metallic dark green head, a white ring around the neck, a purplish-brown neck and chest, and a light gray belly and flanks. The back and wings are darker gray, and the central tail feathers of the black tail are bent upward. The female is brown cryptic coloration. Her bill is black-and-orange. For both sexes of this species, a white-edged dark blue speculum at the base of the upper wing is characteristic. After breeding, males molt their plumage. At that time they look very similar to females, but they can be distinguished by their greenish-yellow bill.
Mlakarice are sociable, diurnal birds that like to gather in small or large flocks. They feed in shallow bodies of water, mainly on aquatic vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. When they search for food they are quite funny, as they stand upright in the water; with their head down, their legs sticking out of the air. In autumn and winter they can also be seen far from water, as they forage for seeds in fields.
Mlakarice are not shy and can nest on all types of inland waters, including urban parks. Still, they prefer floodplains and slow-flowing rivers with shallow parts, and usually avoid fast-flowing rocky rivers. Their nest is simple. In a hollow on the ground they bring plant material, and for extra comfort they add a few feathers. They nest between March and July, and in our country they stay year-round.
