DuckSouth.com

How do you tel the difference between a black duck and a mottled duck?

Ok. I'll bite. How?

Black ducks are dark, have purple speculum and no white edges (leading or trailing)
Mottled birds have a bluer speculum and a trailing white edge.

Tons and tons of hybrids fwiw

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/bird ... ottled.htm

check the previous for black duck

Go to this page, it pretty much nails it:

http://www.greglasley.net/motblk.html

I agree with Gulf Coast. I have that article saved for arguments sake.
The wings still fool me at times but you can see on the Mottled that each feather, especially on the back, have a border that is a lot lighter in color.
Here is a picture of a Black Duck that I just got back.

Hey Roach, That duck looks familiar I see it made the trip down and back in good shape. Hope you enjoy.

Phillip

Yep, he's on the wall in my office.
Thanks Phillip.

Easy...the one that taste the poopiest is the Mottled

Here is two Mottled Ducks ,,you can see both veiws ,,,,,on their back each feather has a light rim around it ,,,or thats what they told me

One old timer down here told me one time: "them black duck look like someone took that old mottled duck and drowned him in burnt up motor oil." And that pretty much hits it on the head.