feral ducks

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Hi Roger,

 

Without looking at them, I strongly suggest to you that "the ones with 'nobs' on their heads" (and usually a warty face) are domestic (or feral) Muscovy Ducks. As in I have seen them there. I don't know if there is any sexual difference, there may be. These are not geese or Mallards but derived but another species Cairina moschata. Like many domestics they are a long way removed from an original wild type. Mallards also are often far from wild type and both can get quite big and be any colour from white to dark, although Mallards, when they have colours, usually have some semblance of normal duck plumage. Whereas Muscovy Ducks are usually untidy blotches of colour. They do have a rather different shape though, the Muscovy Ducks are ugly and their beaks are not as flat as the Mallard types.

 

Philip