Head to head
Madagascar Pochard vs Mallard
The Madagascar pochard and the mallard sit at opposite extremes of duck fortune: one was feared extinct for over a decade before a tiny population turned up on a remote volcanic lake, while the other is so abundant and adaptable that it became the ancestor of nearly every domestic duck breed.
| Madagascar Pochard | Mallard | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Aythya innotata | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Rarity | One of the rarest birds in the world | One of the most abundant ducks in the world |
| Feeding style | Diving duck | Dabbling duck |
| Range | A small number of lakes in northern Madagascar | Across the Northern Hemisphere and introduced elsewhere |
| Population trend | Unknown, supported by captive breeding | Increasing |
| Notable history | Thought extinct, rediscovered in 2006 | Ancestor of nearly every domestic duck breed |
| Diet | Omnivore, aquatic invertebrates, plants, seeds | Omnivore, seeds, aquatic plants, insects, grain |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
Madagascar Pochard vs Mallard: common questions
Which duck is rarer, the Madagascar pochard or the mallard?
The Madagascar pochard is vastly rarer, with its entire population descended from a handful of birds rediscovered in 2006, compared to the mallard, which numbers in the tens of millions and is one of the most abundant waterfowl on Earth.
How do the Madagascar pochard and mallard feed differently?
The Madagascar pochard is a diving duck that submerges to find food, while the mallard is a dabbling duck that feeds at or just below the surface by tipping forward rather than diving.
Has either duck gone through dramatic population changes?
Both have, in opposite directions; the Madagascar pochard was feared extinct before a tiny surviving population was found in 2006, while the mallard has expanded so successfully that it became the ancestor of nearly every domestic duck breed worldwide.