Quick identification
Mottled duck (Anas fulvigula) is a Year-round Gulf Coast resident around South Padre and the Lower Laguna Madre. A dark, evenly mottled dabbling duck with a pale head and dark eye line. It lacks the bright white tail borders typical of many female mallards.
Habitat and island setting
Coastal marsh, shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands.
Where to look
Check protected marsh from the Nature Center boardwalk and nearby mainland refuges. Island sightings depend on water levels and season. Sightings are possibilities rather than appointments; tide, wind, fronts, water level and human activity can change what uses a site.
What the bird is doing
Pairs and small groups feed by tipping in shallow water. Keep dogs leashed where required and stay away from broods hidden along vegetated edges.
Watch without changing the scene
Use binoculars or a camera zoom, stay on public paths and leave feeding, resting and nesting birds enough room to continue normal behavior. If a bird stops feeding, stands alert, calls repeatedly or moves away because of you, increase the distance. Compare current access information through the South Padre Island birding guide before making a special trip.