Muscovy identity?

[Carolinexlt]

Wondering what you think about this duck. I just bought a drake and I am just confused about his looks. He has absolutely no mask at all! Every other Muscovy drake I've seen has a prominent fleshy mask but not this guy. Could he be a hybrid? Or are there Muscovies who just don't have the mask?

 

[Carolinexlt]

I still kinda think he is a she though... cause the twins were about that big as females when I got them and females take longer for their masks.

Well, s/he doesn't trill at all, and is twice the size of my girls, so I hope I have a drake. The breeder has assured me that hybrid is not an option. Guess I'll wait to see if they have babies

Meanwhile, thanks everyone for your input

 

[Carolinexlt]

He's a proud daddy! Can't believe what an excellent caregiver he is too, for his girls and his babies. So sweet

 

[sourland]

Muscovy drakes generally develop caruncling as they mature. He appears to be young, and I am not certain that he is pure Muscovy. Is there a possibility that he might be a mule? Did the previous owner have mallard derived birds as well as muscovies ?

 

[casportpony]

I’d like to see a good close up of the face because the bill does look different.

Does this help?

 

[Raenh]

Looking at just his face, he looks like a she - then looking at his body - he looks like a goose!

But I know nothing for certain on that... other then which ever it is, they're still young and will grow into the carbuncle. Speedy only just started getting part of her mask recently and shes a year old. Fancy had his start when he hit hormonal and wanted to jump ever female in the area.

 

[Carolinexlt]

What an interesting looking bird! Do you have more pictures of him? Is his neck normally that long or was he really stretching?

He was really stretching to show off for the ladies.

 

[Raenh]

In that picture he looks like a muscovy! Fancy was about 6 - 7 months when he went hormonal. I read somewhere that if they are kept indoors it takes longer for the caruncles to show up because they need the sunlight to develop, I don't know if that is fact or not.

 

[Carolinexlt]

He kind of hissed once. Seems like the strong silent type

 

[TheBeardie]

He kind of hissed once. Seems like the strong silent type

Drakes of any breed are usually quieter than the ducks.
My drake is usually silent, unless he's gotten excited. My old drake, Burt, liked talking back to people when they spoke to him. My younger drake is still not hissing he's around three months old.