# Duck ID



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I was out hunting today and I found a duck and I am not really sure on what it is.

It looks like a hen mallard but doesn't have the blue on its wings like a mallard. It has an all blue blue, orange feet. And it is smaller then a normal mallard. What kind of duck do you think it is?


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

How many ducks have orange feet? :-?

Only waterfowl I can think of with orange feet are mallards and specks...


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

At first I thought black duck... but the blue, and orange don't fit the bill.


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

any pics?


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)

blue blue??? did you mean blue bill?

orange feet...mallard, shoveler, goldeneye, BWT, gadwall

I'll go with immature drake gadwall...


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Sorry no pictures, I don't think its a gadwal. It quacked like l mallard. And no its not a bluebill duck. I am kinda thinking maybe a cross of mallard and pintail.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

what color was the speculum? the picture you painted was as clear as mud to me, but if i had to venture a guess I would go with gaddy as well. except for the blue bill, was it a darkish navy blue, or a light tarheel :lol: blue?


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Ok, brown body like a hen mallard. Blue bill like a pintail. Orange feet. No blue on the wings like a hen mallard. Quacks like a mallard.


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

Well now that you say it has athe blue like the pintail it seems like it could contain something along the lines of a redhead to maybe but then again theres the orange feet!! has to be some kind of cross or something along those lines. confusing just because it has no color on the wings. I know the hen gaddys have no color on their wings but then again they don't have the blue bill. This last weekend we shot a redhead that had no colors on his wings but then again...no orange feet!


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## Large munsterlander1 (Feb 11, 2008)

If it quaked like a hen why did you shoot it? :lol:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

No I didn't shoot it bescause I want to know what it is, and if it is something rare I want to mount it.


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## powerhnter888 (Sep 8, 2006)

Were you hunting next to a hobby farm or something?


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)

was there anything on the wings...white maybe??

I agree it's clear as mud..


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## tdalke (Sep 11, 2008)

it might be a gadwall, they are similar to hen mallards. they usually have brown and black on the wings.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

No, no hobby farm around there. Sorry I didn't have my camera and I didn't want to shoot it because I wasn't 100% sure what it was.

I will try to paint the best picture I can.

Has a blue bill like a pintail's bill.
Has orange feet like a mallard
Over all color of the body is that of a hen mallard
Quacks like a hen mallard.
No blue feathers on its wings like a hen mallard
just a little bit of white on them.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I'm thinking and immature mallard. A late hatch bird would be small and may be lacking in coloration of the beak and speculum.

One other thought... A hen Cinnamon teal. Same size as other teal, black or blueish gray beak, yellow orange feet and light blue on the wing which may not be readily distinguisable. Not real common around here but you run into one every once in a while.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Ok I will thinking some cross breed duck. The thing that throws me off is the blue bill and orange feet


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

It could very well be a Pintail/Mallard cross. Seen a few mounts of drakes that looked absolutely amazing.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

blhunter3 said:


> No I didn't shoot it bescause I want to know what it is, and if it is something rare I want to mount it.


So once you find out what it is you will shoot it?!

I would have used my hunters choice 1 EFF up duck and pulled the trigger!


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## tumblebuck (Feb 17, 2004)

Gadwall

Identification Tips:

* Length: 14.5 inches Wingspan: 35 inches
* Large dabbling duck with steep forehead
* * White speculum*
* Juvenile similar to adult female

Adult male alternate:

* Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer
* * Black bill*
* Brown head
* Gray body
* Gray and brown breast, back and upperwing coverts
* Black rump, uppertail coverts and undertail coverts
* White belly

Adult male basic

* Similar to adult female

Adult female:

* Gray bill with orange edges
* Mottled gray, brown and white body plumage
* Distinct white belly patch

Similar species:

Adult male in alternate plumage is unmistakable. *All plumages easily identified in flight and occasionally at rest by white speculum. Females and immature at rest can be identified by their steeper head profile than similarly-plumaged Mallards, by the gray bill *with orange edges, and by the distinct white belly patch.


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## ducky??? (Sep 28, 2008)

Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, I bet its a duck!.....Im sorry I couldnt help myself. Ha Ha


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Yeah... You're supposed to shoot things like that. Dumb.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I know, but when and if I shoot it I want to mount it.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

blhunter3 said:


> I know, but when and if I shoot it I want to mount it.


I'm confused? Probably should have shot it and then you can mount it :lol:

Unless its a gaddy or redhead.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Well its not a redhead, or gadwall


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)




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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

USAlx50 said:


> blhunter3 said:
> 
> 
> > I know, but when and if I shoot it I want to mount it.
> ...


Blhunter is actually smart. 95% chance that the bird is full of pin feathers at this time. It would be vary hard for me to hold back from shooting this bird as well, but to give him credit...He's probably doing the smart thing...If he wants to mount it. I too would guess it's a Mallard/Pintail cross.


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## jaydogg (Feb 19, 2007)

Dont buffies have orange feet?


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

jaydogg said:


> Dont buffies have orange feet?


Nope, pinkish/flesh color.


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