10 replies to this topic

[sgmfla]

Need some help sorting out/verifying photos of ducks...
Photos all taken in Palm Beach County, Florida (Southeast Florida) between Jan - May 2011 and Jan -Mar 2012

Please confirm / correct ID.

Thanks!

1. Mallard Female (seen with Mallard Drake, so I am fairly certain about this one)

https://picasaweb.go...453013825213298


2. Mottled Duck pair ?

https://picasaweb.go...453297681721682
Same duck, different view

https://picasaweb.go...441629751658370


3. Mottled Duck ? (my best guess based on speculum coloring)

https://picasaweb.go...453895943376594


4. ?? Pair swimming together... I would have guessed Mottled duck pair with the chevrons on their feathers...
but they have the same color bill, and the pair in photo #2 have different color bills ???
Is the black edging on the bills indicative of Mottled ducks?

https://picasaweb.go...452840664910098


5. Possible American Black Duck? 2nd photo is the same duck in flight/landing showing blue/purple speculum bordered by black and white...
But, then I see the "black edging" on the bill and wonder is it a Mottled duck (but no, due to speculum colors)?

https://picasaweb.go...453160916505122


https://picasaweb.go...350574846830834


6. Mottled Duck? why? I don't know...



7. Mottled Duck ?

https://picasaweb.go...453612099973650


These ducks are driving me nuts...
Any help/guidance you can provide to help me distinguish American Black from Mottled from Female Mallard, especially when the speculum is not visible, will be GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Thanks!

[Harry Fink]

1. Mallard (f)
2. Mallard (f) with Mottled Duck
3-7 Mottled Duck

[Liam]

Agree with Harry. Mottled ducks have mono-colored bills and a contrasting neck-head/body.

[sgmfla]

1. Mallard (f)
2. Mallard (f) with Mottled Duck
3-7 Mottled Duck

Thanks for your quick reply...
My Question now is... photo #5b (flight landing)
what about the 2 areas of distinct black and white borders on the blue/purple speculum? I thought Mottled ducks only had 1 line of fine white bars there...
I'm trying to learn so I can improve my ID skills,... any insights you can provide are much appreciated :-)
Thanks

[sgmfla]

Agree with Harry. Mottled ducks have mono-colored bills and a contrasting neck-head/body.

Agree with Harry. Mottled ducks have mono-colored bills and a contrasting neck-head/body.

Thanks for your quick reply.
My question now is... Photos 2 a (duck on right) and 2 b... these ducks have yellow bills, with a distinct orange spot/area in the middle....
???
Thanks for your patience as I am still learning :-)

[sgmfla]

Ok, so given your answers...
ARE these 2 Mallards due to bill color?



https://picasaweb.go...387829576676146

Thanks for your patience :-)

Edited by sgmfla, 29 March 2012 - 10:22 PM.

[MarkBird]

Also keep in mind that we have a lot of hybrid Mallard x Mottled now. It's just not that easy to tell once they've hybridized. You can usually look for the wing bars, bill color, or the rump sprig feather on the males to get a good idea. You may only see one trait that suggests that it's a hybrid. The FWC has done genetic testing to really tell...

[PoorMatty]

Surely #5 is pretty solidly a Mallard?

[Liam]

Thanks for your quick reply...
My Question now is... photo #5b (flight landing)
what about the 2 areas of distinct black and white borders on the blue/purple speculum? I thought Mottled ducks only had 1 line of fine white bars there...
I'm trying to learn so I can improve my ID skills,... any insights you can provide are much appreciated :-)
Thanks

Missed that one. Yeah, that's a Mallard hen.

Thanks for your quick reply.
My question now is... Photos 2 a (duck on right) and 2 b... these ducks have yellow bills, with a distinct orange spot/area in the middle....
???
Thanks for your patience as I am still learning :-)

The hen on the left with the splotch on the bill is a Mallard, the hen on the right is a Mottled Duck.

[MarkBird]

#5 is the most visible hybrid - black rump of a drake Mallard, solid white wing bars, but the Mottled-ish head.

[sgmfla]

Thanks to all of you...
I can tell I will have to keep studying on the ducks...
But, from what I gather above...
- Mallard (f), and Mottled Ducks are gonna be fun (?) because of the hybridization!
- Mallard female will have dark splotches on her orange bill
- Mottled ducks have more light/dark contrast between head/neck/body than Mallard (f)
- Check the wing bars if at all possible!!
Thanks again :-)