Most adult male Mallards at this time of year are in eclipse plumage. Those
are the ones likely to have a greenish-yellow bill. Juveniles of both sexes
have a pinkish/orangish-gray bill for a short while, then begin to take on
the color of the adult according to their sex, although older juvenile males
have a grayer tone than adults. At the beginning of duck season (early
October) there are still plenty of Mallards that look like females except
for bill color. Hunters that don't realize many of the males haven't
attained alternate plumage yet will have a shorter hunt as the bag limit on
females has been lower than for males to make up for differential mortality
on the nesting grounds.

Randy Hill
Othello
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rolan Nelson" <rnbuffle at yahoo.com>
To: <bush-is-so-dumb at home.com>; <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2001 3:01 p
Subject: Re: some duck questions


> 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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