Sexing mallard ducklings using wing plumage

[keeperofthehearth]

This may help some to id'ing the sex of their immature mallard ducklings.
I need to check again but I think I have 2 boys.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/mallard.htm

 

[ticks]

they look all the same to me

 

[keeperofthehearth]

The white on the females goes past the blue on wing as it nears the body. Good Luck!

 

[iluvsedward]

In english please?

 

[Speceider]

We do that all the time when banding young mallards. It's really easy to look at the tertial coverts. The only difficulty is if they are not pure mallards, there may be some white on the tertial coverts of drakes if they have snowy mallard or white mallard in them.

Clint

 

[FireTigeris]

Lets see, in English...

Immature birds have angular swaths of the colors on the colored wing feathers, (that is the colors do not line up nice and the color is angled on the individual feathers) - the feathers also may be frayed, skinny, or old looking if just before adult molt either into breeding or non-breeding plumage.

Immature mallard females have white extending towards the body, but the white that will extend away fro the body beyond the color area may or may not be present, males do not have the extra white.

Adult female mallards have white that extends beyond the color area on the wing, both towards and away from the body, Adult males in non breeding plumage do not, the white stops at the color.

Adult males in breeding plumage do not need wing test for sexuality as they have green heads...

close enough?

Now I always guessed based on beaks and stance and behavior, not always right...

 

[iluvsedward]

hmm.. is there one on ducklings? Not immature ducks but ducklings??

 

[iluvsedward]

like, 4weekolds?

 

[FireTigeris]

Not for feathering.

 

[Chriswardens52]

I also found out that if you notice a green/black tint to the back of the ducklings they tend to be male. I used this technique and i identified there sex 100 percent accurate for me anyways.