Compare the tail to drake mallard (top right) and hen mallard (bottom). Mule duck, as have always heard them called, had hen-looking tail feathers, but had the distinctive drake curls...
![](http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/4646/4x6img29221uq.jpg)
Compared to a drake mallard (top), the mule duck wing looks like a drake mallard at a glance, but note that the white wing bar above the speculum on the mule duck (bottom) extends into the terial area, as characteristic of hens
![](http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/6256/4x6img29268cg.jpg)
Now look at the head. Mule duck (middle) has the yellow bill color of drake and some green in its head. The bill has the black saddle characteristic of a hen and teh lower part of teh head looks suzie too.
![](http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/820/4x6img29297fv.jpg)
Looked under it's tail and it was definitely a hen duck. Estrogen is a precursor of testosterone. Don't know why there was a hormonal imbalance (heard someone once say it was menepausal-like). At any rate, it was a hen I shot for a greenhead
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)