This coastal duck of the American southeast can be easily confused with the American Black Duck or the female Mallard; the three species are closely related, and differences in plumage can be subtle. Of these similar species, the Mottled Duck has the most restricted range, breeding mainly around the Gulf Coast, far south of either of its relatives.

The Mottled Duck resides across most of Florida, and westward around the Gulf Coast. The bulk of the population is found in the coastal marshlands of Louisiana and Texas, and in lesser numbers as far south as Mexico's eastern coast. The species was introduced to coastal South Carolina in 1976, and is now an established resident. There are few records away from the breeding range, and none outside of the Americas.

Due to its limited range and relatively small global population, the Mottled Duck is particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and other pressures. The species' slow decline throughout its range has earned it "Yellow" status on Audubon's WatchList of North American birds. The species may also be susceptible to significant population swings, due to drought and other natural factors.

 

An explanation of the Annual Population Indices graph displayed to the right can be found here.

The Mottled Duck has a fairly limited range, and requires very specific coastal marshland and prairie habitat. The species' fate is tied to its habitat; as coastal marshland is drained, developed, or lost to hurricanes, Mottled Ducks become increasingly threatened. Another threat to the species' survival is hybridization. Each year, particularly in Florida, significant numbers of escaped and released domesticated Mallards breed with wild Mottled Ducks, thus decreasing the number of true Mottled Ducks.

Remain aware of local, regional, and federal land management decisions, particularly those that affect our wetlands.

 

Contact your legislators in support of wise land management initiatives, such as wetland restoration along the Gulf Coast, and The North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

 

For actions you can take, including Audubon activities, please visit our resources page.

Ducks Unlimited maintains important information on many issues affecting North American waterfowl: http://www.ducks.org/conservation/index.asp

 

The marshland of coastal Louisiana is crucial habitat for many waterbird species, including Mottled Ducks. America's Wetland, a campaign to save coastal Louisiana, maintains timely information regarding coastal land loss at its website: http://www.americaswetland.com/.

 

Visit our resources page for more information about this species.

Kaufman, Kenn. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.

 

Kortright, Francis H. 1943. The Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America. The American Wildlife Institute, Washington D.C.

 

Moorman, T. E. and P. N. Gray. 1994. Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula). In The Birds of North America, No. 81 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.