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My brother and I have argued over this duck for a week.

WTH is it?

I'm saying Mallard/Woodie somehow or another.

But to be honest, I have no clue. Looking to ya'll for help.

Keep in mind, it's frozen solid and was shot to hell and back when I picked it up. So I can't really spread the wings.

But the bill of it and the green in the wings point to that. But, what do you all think?

looks like a mottled that has been shot to hell and back.

Dam sure a dead one, either shot to hell or got the mange!

quack_a_tack wrote:Dam sure a dead one, either shot to hell or got the mange!

+1

I never said it was pretty!

Looks like a mottled that was malested

quack_a_tack wrote:Dam sure a dead one, either shot to hell or got the mange!

Definetly NOT a mottled. It does have the green wing patch but everything else says not a mottled. Mottled ducks don't have light colored feathers on the belly/under the wing. The feet are kind of an off color it appears almost the color of a tree duck foot. The pictures are very difficult to positivley ID the bird. Is the coloration on the bill shot up or is there an abrupt stop on the black like that naturally? Spread wings and a shot from above and below with spread wings would help.

Jeff wrote:Definetly NOT a mottled. It does have the green wing patch but everything else says not a mottled. Mottled ducks don't have light colored feathers on the belly/under the wing. The feet are kind of an off color it appears almost the color of a tree duck foot. The pictures are very difficult to positivley ID the bird. Is the coloration on the bill shot up or is there an abrupt stop on the black like that naturally? Spread wings and a shot from above and below with spread wings would help.

jeff, I think if he spread the wings, the duct tape holding them together might show. this is probably what a typical bird from MS looks like this year. a single comes in and all six guns run to the plug to kill it. poor bird never had a chance.

LawDawg wrote:

Jeff wrote:Definetly NOT a mottled. It does have the green wing patch but everything else says not a mottled. Mottled ducks don't have light colored feathers on the belly/under the wing. The feet are kind of an off color it appears almost the color of a tree duck foot. The pictures are very difficult to positivley ID the bird. Is the coloration on the bill shot up or is there an abrupt stop on the black like that naturally? Spread wings and a shot from above and below with spread wings would help.

jeff, I think if he spread the wings, the duct tape holding them together might show. this is probably what a typical bird from MS looks like this year. a single comes in and all six guns run to the plug to kill it. poor bird never had a chance.

Nah, super glue worked better. Amazing what lead shot in a unplugged gun will do huh guys? Calm down oh masters of the law, it was a joke.

To me it looks like a hen wood duck/hen mallard hybrid.

So anyone know for sure?

With nothing to compare size to I'll venture a guess. Judging from the coloration it's definately a hen. The culmen of the upper mandible is shaped much like a Wood Duck as is the bill length in proportion to the head. The nail of the bill suggest Wood Duck as well. Some irredescence in the wing and rump like a Woodie. Wood Duck shaped tail. Occular stripe, bill color, and foot color like a hen Mallard. There are hen hybrids also and some are often over-looked. Appears to be a definate wild bird.

Never would have dreamed it would turn out that well after what it looked like a few months ago.