The classic French duck called a col vert (green collar) is a dabbling duck which means it feeds mainly on the surface, instead of diving. This is the male of course. The female is a dull brown with a few white specks. Photo by Jean Michel.
Le colvert est un canard barboteur ou de surface, c’est-à-dire qu’il trouve principalement sa nourriture à la surface des étendues d’eau. Ici c’est le mâle bien sûr. La femelle a le bec brun et le plumage plus terne (beige tacheté de brun). Photo de Jean Michel.
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3 replies on “Sleek & Green – Lisse & vert”
Beautifully captured!
They are called Mallards in English. I’ve no idea what the etymology of the English name is.
@William – thank you!
@Susan – I was not sure if they were mallards, never having experienced them in English! The etymology is interesting – c. 1300, “wild drake or duck,” from Old French malart (12c.) or Medieval Latin mallardus, apparently from male, from Latin masculus (see male), in which case the original sense probably was not of a specific species but of any male wild duck, though the specific sense of “male of the wild duck” was not attested in English until early 14c. (On Line Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/)