Bird
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 10 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 10

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 10
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 10
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Open, wet, seepage-fed bogs of the Coastal Plain and Sandhills, often with pitcher plants.
Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)
Tidal marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the source does not say whether the water is fresh, brackish or salt. A stated salinity files the marsh under freshwater tidal marshes or salt and brackish marshes instead.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Other habitats in its models (61)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (29)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Winter.
- South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Winter.
- South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Winter.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Summer.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Winter, only within 250 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter, only within 250 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Summer.
Northeast (2)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer and winter.
Midwest (2)
- Western Great Plains Open Freshwater Depression Wetland Summer.
- Western Great Plains Saline Depression Wetland Summer.
Land cover and other classes (28)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems Summer and winter.
- Developed, Low Intensity Winter, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
- Open Water (Aquaculture) Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer.
- Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Depressional Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in 6 of 82 counties.
- Winter: does not nest here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 245
- Potamogeton pusillus subsp. pusillusPotamogeton pusillus subsp. pusillus
- Small pondweedPotamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus
- Largeleaf PondweedPotamogeton amplifolius
- Leafy PondweedPotamogeton foliosus
- Longleaf PondweedPotamogeton nodosus
- Ribbonleaf PondweedPotamogeton epihydrus
- Small PondweedPotamogeton pusillus
- Spotted PondweedPotamogeton pulcher
- Waterthread PondweedPotamogeton diversifolius
- Carex atlantica subsp. atlanticaCarex atlantica subsp. atlantica
- Carex atlantica subsp. capillaceaCarex atlantica subsp. capillacea
- Carex baltzelliiCarex baltzellii
- Carex bromoides subsp. bromoidesCarex bromoides subsp. bromoides
- Carex communis var. communisCarex communis var. communis
- Carex dasycarpaCarex dasycarpa
- Carex scoparia var. scopariaCarex scoparia var. scoparia
- Carex striata var. striataCarex striata var. striata
- Crawes SedgeCarex crawei
- Eastern Fox SedgeCarex triangularis
- False Hair SedgeCarex bulbostylis
- Hammock SedgeCarex fissa
- Hammock SedgeCarex fissa var. aristata
- Little Tooth SedgeCarex microdonta
- Painted SedgeCarex picta
Plant genera in its diet records (24)
- Potamogeton Seeds and leaves. 9 diet records. 9 native plants in Mississippi
- Carex Seeds. 5 diet records. 131 native plants in Mississippi
- Lemna 3 diet records. 6 native plants in Mississippi
- Ceratophyllum Fruit and seeds. 2 diet records. 2 native plants in Mississippi
- Echinochloa Seeds. 2 diet records. 4 native plants in Mississippi
- Myriophyllum Seeds. 2 diet records. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Polygonum Seeds. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Sagittaria Seeds and roots. 2 diet records. 11 native plants in Mississippi
- Schoenoplectus Seeds. 2 diet records. 8 native plants in Mississippi
- Scirpus Seeds. 2 diet records. 6 native plants in Mississippi
- Sparganium Seeds. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Stuckenia Seeds and roots. 2 diet records. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Beckmannia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Bidens Seeds. 1 diet record. 8 native plants in Mississippi
- Brasenia Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Chara 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Hippuris Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Najas Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Mississippi
- Persicaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 10 native plants in Mississippi
- Quercus Seeds. 1 diet record. 38 native plants in Mississippi
- Scolochloa Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Triticum 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Zannichellia Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Zizania Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 98
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Swamps
Birds 109
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 291
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
- Southern Long SedgeCarex lonchocarpa
Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)
Birds 89
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa
- Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseus
- American Tree SparrowSpizella arborea
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
- Red KnotCalidris canutus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Piping PloverCharadrius melodus
- American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus
- American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos
Plants 30
- Annual Saltmarsh AsterSymphyotrichum subulatum
- Sandpaper VervainVerbena scabra
- Dwarf ArrowheadSagittaria subulata
- Black NeedlerushJuncus roemerianus
- Carolina Sea-lavenderLimonium carolinianum
- Southern Water-hempAmaranthus australis
- Shoreline SedgeCarex hyalinolepis
- Pink RedstemAmmannia latifolia
- Solidago sempervirens var. mexicanaSolidago sempervirens var. mexicana
- Grassy ArrowheadSagittaria graminea
- Giant BristlegrassSetaria magna
All of coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated) in Mississippi
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Mallard Fresh water only
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus
























































