Can a female duck have a tail curl??

[Andrea PNW]

I'm so confused right now as I try and sex my ducks .... Ruthie is in fact female despite her tail curls right???

 

[HappyDuckie]

I would say with the curls and voice, its a drake. He may just not have molted into adult feathers yet, hence the female coloring.

 

[RainbowHen]

Seems like a male with immature plumage. Should develop a green head as he matures.

 

[Andrea PNW]

Ok. I thought so. Thank you!

 

[Fuchsia]

Females can have a curly tail, my WH female had one for a while, she is definitely a girl!

 

[Jenwisp]

Our mallard males had female coloring and drake feathers for a while until they came into their mature colors.

Is she quacking or croaking?


Edit to add: I just looked at your pictures again and it looks like her tail is darkening and her underbelly is starting to fade to gray. That's what ours did. They had the curl before their colors changed.

3 of these revealed as boys. The black cayuga cross even quacked prior to coming clean!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

it’s possible but you have a drake for sure

 

[Andrea PNW]

it’s possible but you have a drake for sure

Wait - ruthie with female coloring but has a butt curl IS a drake?

 

[HappyDuckie]

What does his/her voice sound like? Quacking or raspy?

 

[HappyDuckie]

If you upload a video, I can tell you if its male or female.