Pintail expert

[shimont770]

Does any one have pic's of your pintails hen and young drake?

 

[Speceider]

In the first year, a duck will go through 3 different plumages....the first feathers they grow are juvenile plumage and look much like a hen pintail, although the tail tips are notched, and there are also differences in the size and shape of the feathers to identify juvenile plumage. Soon after they will molt into basic 1 plumage, then, starting in October-January (depending upon hatch date) they will milt into Alternate 1 Plumage which is when they will look like what you think of with the chocolate head. Then again, after breeding, they'll molt into Basic 2 plumage, and while in Basic 2, will molt their wing feathers for the first time. Because both of the basic plumage drakes are not Basic 1 plumage, they have to be older birds.

Clint

 

[shimont770]

Do you happen to have any picture to describe Basic 1 plamage?

 

[Speceider]

This is a hatch year female, basic 1 plumage.





Hatch year male in basic 1 plumage.

Clint

 

[kacky]

The bird that you have now is definitely a Bahama pintail x northern pintail hybrid drake. I keep both of these species and I can tell because of the green colored wing feathers, spots on the side, and the overall color of the bird. He will probably be sterile. These two species hybridize easily and commonly if kept together

 

[JJRS]

Plumage means feathers.
Clint got it again. The "hen" is a male in non-breeding feather (basic or eclipse plumage). The easiest way to tell in this case is if you look at how blue the bill is. Hen bills are mostly black. There are also big variations in the feather markings between non-breeding males and hens. You will learn to see the differences with experience and effort.

 

[JJRS]

I think Kacky gets the prize on this one.

 

[shimont770]

Hey there!
I happen to have 6 white cheeked ducklings 15 weeks old and 4 weeks old. Is there a way i can check there sex in this age? I don't mind even bring my vet to make a blood test, altho it would save me a lot of trouble if there is a different way.

 

[shimont770]