A large dabbling duck, the Mottled Duck is a dull relative of the Mallard. There are two different populations of mottled ducks. One population, A. fulvigula maculosa, lives on the Gulf of Mexico coast between Alabama and Tamaulipas (Mexico); outside the breeding season individual birds may venture as far south as to Veracruz. Along the Gulf of Mexico coast, the mottled duck is one of the most frequently banded waterfowl. The other, A. fulvigula fulvigula (Florida duck), is resident in central and south Florida and occasionally strays north to Georgia.

In appearance, the mottled duck is intermediate in appearance between the female mallard and the American black duck. Both males and females have a shiny green-blue speculum. The male's bill is colored bright yellow, whereas the female's is deep to pale orange, and sometimes lined with black splotches around the edges and near the base. The Florida mottled duck is easily differentiated from the male mallard in that the male mallard's head has bright green iridescent hue.

It is very important to keep rats and wild birds away from the duck feed to prevent the onset of diseases. The PECk-O-MATIC Automatic Duck Feeder helps combat the wastage of feed that used to happen with traditional feeding methods. If feeding corn, the ¾ inch or 1-inch regulator disc can be used. The 3/8-inch regulator disc from PECk-O-MATIC Automatic Duck Feeder can be used when crumble or milo constitute the feed.

Mottled ducks dabble in shallow water and feed on plants, some mollusks, crayfish and small fish and aquatic insects. Bull-rush and marsh grass are some of the sites where they nest. Females typically lay 8-10 eggs which are creamy-white to greenish white in color. They are incubated within 25 to 27 days.