Mallard ducklings question

[hebertchick12]

Our ducklings are about 3 weeks old. Yesterday I noticed one has a very distinct white ring around its neck. Is there any significance to this, such as with gender or something? We have raised mallard ducklings before and had males, but never noticed this type of marking this early.

 

[hebertchick12]

.

 

[Amiga]

These look like Muscovy babies to me - cuties! I am not a Muscovy person, wish I could offer ideas . . . I have never read that a neck ring is significant for telling drake from duck, but I may have missed that.

 

[hebertchick12]

I'm pretty sure they are mallards. The breeder we bought them from didn't have Muscovies. And I did some research and read that Muscovies don't have that brown eyepatch that these do. As, ducklings they do look very similar though.