Got my first Black Duck Saturday

[Chad Manlove]

Looks like a drake Black duck to me. I grew up hunting them on the east coast, brings back great memories of the wary black duck. Too dark for a mott. If it has some green iridescence in the head, then it's most likely got some mallard genetics mixed in. Not uncommon with black ducks these days. Mallard x black hybrids are quite common on the east coast, which is truly a shame for the black duck.

Great pic, great duck!

[h2o_dog]

yeah, i think it's a hybrid mall/bd. I would agree with GC except it is so dark and the green in the head.

I agree it is a hybrid, which is what 90% of the black ducks I've seen killed in the delta in the past 5 years have been - very few pure blacks left. If I could see the breast of this duck that is how I could say for sure...breast feathers in a mottled duck look more like a hen mallard and not near as thick and downy as the cold weather tolerant black.

My .02. - your mileage may vary.

[Uncle Judd]

dont have a belly pic, but the belly is just as dark as the back.

Thx for all the compliments. This duck sure makes it alot easier to bear the fact that I still have no bands.

The pic was taken by Gary Spence, he's quite the photographer, ain't he? It's kinda funny, we take into the swamp more $$$ in cameras than in guns--and I shoot a Citori.