Kevin, in my experience, (I hope an expert will
correct me if I'm wrong) at this time of year, male
juvenile mallards have bills with a "green/yellow"
tint to them. Female juvenile mallards have bills
that are closer to "black/orange" . The shading of
the brown varies a lot between individual birds, and
the scapulars are either blue or purple depending on
how the light is hitting them. My guess is that most
of what you are seeing are mallards. Other advice out
there?

Rolan Nelson
Burley, WA
rnbuffle at yahoo.com

--- "Kevin T. Moore" <bush-is-so-dumb at home.com> wrote:
> Is it safe to assume any ducks I see around Seattle
> that look like female
> Mallards with yellow bills are American Black Ducks?
> So often when they are
> swimming or walking they have their scapulars hidden
> (and I have a hard time
> telling a flash of blue from a flash of purple,
> anyway). What color are the
> bills of juvenile Mallards? What if such a duck is
> light in body
> coloration -- would that be a hybrid?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> -Kevin Moore
> Seattle, WA
> bush-is-so-dumb at home.com
>


=====
Rolan Nelson
Burley, WA
rnbuffle at yahoo.com

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