feral or wild

[Why and Dotte]

Can you tell if you're looking at a feral mallard or a wild one? I was at a park and my older sister (overly argumentive

) was looking at a pair of mallards, I mentioned something about them probably not being wild then she just jumps in and starts at it how do I know, they might be and blah blah blah!

I swear she should be a lawyer.
I always back down from banters with her, but birds are my thing so I was aiming to prove her wrong

I told her how being at a park where there are ducks that aren't wild (crested ducks) people are most likely buying them raising and releasing.

This really is more of a rant, but I would like to know if there is a way you can tell.

 

[chickboss]

I don't know for sure, but I can't see a difference any of the pictures that I've seen. I hate to say it, but they very well could've been wild, and just as easily domestic IMO. We have a duck pond that has lots of wild Mallards, Canadian Geese, but also has domestic drop offs. LOL, Some really beautiful Kahki drakes where there last time I was drooling over them...

 

[dutchhollow]

If sold by a hatchery they have to remove a rear toe (can't remember which foot) at birth (hatching). Now if someone hatched them at home and turned them loose, no way to tell. They are the same duck, and wild ones are pretty much everywhere.

 

[1lpoock]

I dont think they have to mark them anymore....and its the right hind toe. I dont think they mark them because they are domesticated mallards.