Mallard drakes (Anas platyrhynchos). Full-colour breeding plumage is about to be shed and a temporary set of feathers has begun to replace the breeding set, known as the eclipse, resembling the female's camouflage, cryptic plumage.​


Mallard drakes (Anas platyrhynchos). Full colour plumage is about to be shed and a temporary set of feathers has begun to replace the breeding set which are cryptical marked and coloured which are not unlike the female ducks. The survival advantage is that for several weeks the bird will be flightless, and incapable of flight. Currently a set of primary and secondary feathers are still in place.


Size: 5760px × 3840px
Photo credit: © Joe Blossom / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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