Duck Identification Needed

[shoppintractors]

<font color="blue"> If these photos are legit..... </font>

Yep, they are. I personally took the pictures just a few days ago. Just saw the whole brood?, flock?, gaggle?, again this morning. I first noticed them in the area seven days ago.

There's two female mallard types that hang in this group. One has the feather tufting on the head. The other does not have the feather tufting, however it does have a marking or spot, about the size of a dime, on the top of it's head.

Don

 

[polecat]

i think the word would be ..molting... i think that the tuft will probably go away once she's finished ...my ckn's looked like that a few weeks back!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif..less hope shes molting ..i hate to see animals that have defect's !!!can b really scary when u think about it!!!

 

[DAP]

Well, I know a thing or 2 about ducks. Even species of CRESTED ducks, merganzers, etc. of any variety don't have PLUMES like that.

I would say this is a mutation. I'm gonna research this and report back.

 

[Richard]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I would say this is a mutation )</font>

So, that kills my theory that it's the punked out version of the AFLAC duck??

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[shoppintractors]

Here is a picture of the whole group. Two white domestics I believe are males. Two that appear to be female mallards and four crossbred offspring.

see the attachment....

Don

 

[polecat]

maybe those ducks r royalty!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif..
or maybe they r jist tryin a new way of not havin to be eaten first /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Alan L.]

Our "mallard" duck has the plume since birth and she is about 15 months old. She, too was purchased at tractor supply, so who knows what breed she is. I saw some that looked like her at a flea market and they called them "runners" are something like that. But I don't recall if any of them had the tuft on the head.

 

[shoppintractors]

The Mating Game

We’ve had white domestic ducks introduced into the area
several years ago. They hang in the immediate area
year around. We’ve had anywhere from 6 -12 at any
given time.

While I was out peddling on the waterbike (see attach-
ment) I saw this white domestic duck that appeared to be
injured. Swimming with one leg, holding the other leg up.
The next day I saw the same (lame) duck still appearing to be
injured. The third day I came across the same duck with
3 other white domestic's closely following “her”. The three
other ducks were competing to climb on top of her. One
literally held her neck and pushed her head under water!
They had the back of her neck all beat up and bloodied.
She was pale and her eyes were glazed over. I thought
she was........well................a.......a.......a.......a...
.. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.....‘dead duck’!

I thought they were trying to kill her because
she was injured. I peddled over on the waterbike and
attempted to get them to release her before she drowned.

She popped up kind of dazed and...well.......beaten up.
The following day I saw the foursome drinking water
along the shoreline. Three bright white’s and one
forlorn looking one with a scarred up neck..........
The white ducks lay eggs just about anywhere.
I have found them in the middle of the lawn. They
don’t seem to have the maternal instincts to hatch them.

Don

 

[GaryM]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( maybe those ducks r royalty!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif..
or maybe they r jist tryin a new way of not havin to be eaten first /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Like Blinky, the three eyed fish on the Simpsons!

 

[DAP]

pcat.. most ducks don't really molt - say like some song birds, horses, goats, etc. They'll shed some under down each season, grow some new primaries, but the mallards or domestics don't usually molt.

And iffin they did, it wouldn't be a spot on the top of the crown. Nosir. Those birds have been tip toein into the wrong cabin at night methinks.