Has my female mallard turned into a male?

[horsin_around_cowgirl]

I'm new to this site, but I have a dilemma. I have a male and female mallard that are about 2 and a half years old. The female laid eggs last year, but not this year. In the past month or so she has changed dramatically in appearance. She now looks like a young male. Her color has changed, she now has the white ring around her neck and her head is turning green. Other than her appearance, her behavior is completely normal. There is no chance that it is a different duck or anything like that either. What's going on with her? Is this common?

 

[Olive Hill]

I'm thinking you have a young male, not a 2 1/2 year old female. Is your run covered?

 

[horsin_around_cowgirl]

I have had this duck for 2 and a half years, raised her and the male from ducklings. They are loose, have free roam of the property. They pretty much stay in the pond except to come to the house to eat. There are not other ducks around my place, I live in the middle of no where.

 

[roocrazy]

it is probably going through or has undergone a sex change

 

[horsin_around_cowgirl]

Is that normal? Why does that happen? I feel really dumb even asking these questions, but I've never had this happen before. And I swear I'm not that crazy, lol. I'm just not very knowledgeable about ducks.

 

[treldib]

Any pics? Very odd situation?

 

[KansasKid]

Something has happened to her hormone level making her appearance change. this typically happens in older females but can happen to one like yours if something happens to stop the female reproductive organs and egg laying.

 

[horsin_around_cowgirl]

I have a few pics, but I can't figure out how to upload them here.

 

[silkydragon]

ive heard of this happining in pheasant where goldens or red golden hens will gain male color stop laying and act just like males but they still have female parts not male.

 

[Olive Hill]

If they're not in a fully enclosed run there is no guarantee other ducks have not flown in and/or yours have not flown off or been taken by predators. Being in the middle of nowhere doesn't change that, ducks don't limit their air travel to main roads.

If it is your female and she's taking on male characteristics time will tell. Usually females who do so do not look exactly like a male. They retain some of their duller coloring -- along the sides of the head, in the body, etc.