The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchosEtymology: Ancient Greek for "flat-billed duck" http://web.archive.org/web/20050214114256/http://home.sou.edu/~rible/wildlife/mallard.htm), also known as the wild duck, is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Probably the best-known of all ducks, it gave rise to most domestic ducks, apart from the Muscovy Duck.