The Mexican Duck is a medium-sized dabbling duck closely related to the Mallard but distinguished by its uniformly mottled brown plumage, subtle buffy facial stripe, and lack of iridescent green head. In Arizona, Mexican Ducks are year-round residents primarily inhabiting desert wetlands and riparian corridors—most notably the San Pedro, Santa Cruz and Willcox Playa basins—as well as scattered urban ponds and agricultural wetlands. They feed by dabbling and grazing on aquatic vegetation, seeds and small invertebrates, often forming small flocks outside the breeding season. Breeding begins in spring, with pairs nesting in dense shoreline vegetation; however, hybridization with feral or released Mallards poses a challenge to preserving the species’ genetic integrity.
