Junior · Junior
Become a Junior Duckologist: Your First Five Ducks!
A kid-friendly guide to the five ducks you can spot on almost any park walk.
P
Priya Nandakumar
Junior editor · 1 min read · 7 Jun 2026
Ready to start your duck detective adventure? Here are five ducks you can find on almost any park pond!
Look for the curly tail of a mallard, the tuft on a tufted duck, the green head of a mandarin, the tiny teal, and the big bossy shelduck.
Print out our nature journal page and tick them off as you go. Happy duck-spotting!
Species in this story
Green list
🏠
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
The UK’s most familiar duck — the ancestor of nearly all domestic ducks and the benchmark every other species is measured against.
- Length
- 50–65 cm
- Wingspan
- 81–98 cm
- Feeds
- Dabbler
Introduced list
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Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulata
An elaborately decorated, jewel-bright duck from East Asia that has made itself at home in British woodlands.
- Length
- 41–49 cm
- Wingspan
- 65–75 cm
- Feeds
- Dabbler