Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria

Mallard

(Anas platyrhynchos)

Category of conservation concern (IUCN, 2020) – Least Concern

Population size: 2 500 – 6 000 pairs

Distribution pattern

The most common breeding duck species, with dense or more dispersed distribution all over the country with the exception of the higher parts of the mountains, predominantly forested areas and the regions without medium – sized or large wetlands with water fringe vegetation. In the Rhodopes and in some places in the Rila Mountain reaches the coniferous belt including centuries – old breeding sites such as the Batak Marsh. The distribution of the species is partly influenced by artificial relocations, both in the past (especially after 1960) and in the last 20 years.

Big size map

Breeding distribution 2013 – 2020 – The distribution and the estimation of the population size of the species for the period 2013 – 2020 is presented –

Comparative distribution of the species compared to the first breeding birds atlas (Iankov, 2007): Breeding locality until 2007 | Breeding locality until 2007, confirmed after 2015 – | New breeding locality after 2015. – The breeding localities after 2015 are identified on a base of raw data from smartbirds.org.

Habitats

Breeds in non-marine waters (coastal lagoons, standing fresh waters, standing brackish waters), bogs and marshes (water fringe vegetation), rarely – in running waters (drainage canals or other slow running waters), wetlands in public parks and large gardens, and in other parts of towns, villages, industrial sites, especially at their outskirts, in former gravel and sand quarries, canals, frequently flooded areas, etc. Sometimes builds its nests in humid grassland and tall herb communities, in field crops (rice fields, wheat fields near wetlands), on various substrates in riverine and swamp forests and bushes (alluvial and riverine forests and brush), etc.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed