My class and another class were given 13 eggs to incubate and watch hatch. I don't know what type of ducks they are. Does someone know what they are by looking at these babies? I want to know what they will look like as adults. They will probably be going to a farm this week, so I won't get to see them as adult ducks. Thanks for any help IDing them for me!
Another photo that might show more markings on these babies.
One more photo.
Hi Becky, That's a great project for kids!
I'm not 100% positive but they remind me of Mallards. Here is a site you can look at, scroll down on this page to see the baby ducks.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/NDG/Ducks/BRKMallards.html
You could also try the Poultry forum. :-)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/animals/all/
If they were wild origin eggs from Florida, then they'll be Mottled Duck (Mallard doesn't breed wild in Florida).
If not wild origin, then domesticated ducks, which originate from either Mallard or Muscovy Duck.
Resin
They are not Mallard. The Mallard Ducklings have a narrower stripe through the eye & the head is a lighter color.
Thanks everyone for your replies and links! I appreciate it! I believe that they are Mallards thanks to your help. I am thinking that is what I overheard someone say about them at my school. They go back to school tomorrow and off to the farm later this week... I;m gonna miss them, but not cleaning up after them! LOL!
Hi, folks. A bird novice here. Question: Look at the tip of that beak in the first photo. There's a little divot on the top, with an outstretched lower "lip" on the bottom. Do they use their beaks like straws for fluids? Seeds? Inquiring minds wanna know.
Linda (such interesting stuff on Dave's Garden Web Site, so interesting!)
That's the 'nail' the hard tip of the bill they use for digging in mud etc., to find food.
Resin
I believe it is also used for breaking out of their egg when hatching.
I found out that these ducks are Roen ducklings. They look like large Mallard ducks when they become adult ducks. They were taken to the Farm and Feed store on Friday and the owner's wife fell in love with them. She was amazed at how tame they were. I was able to feed them right out of my hand. I hope they all get good homes. I kinda miss them, ya know ... I wished I had a nice lake and a few acres of land to have kept them. Unfortunately, I live in a residentual neighborhood.
Aaah, Resin, so is it temporary? Does it go away, do they "outgrow" it, as it were? I don't ever recall seeing a picture of a beak/bill of an adult with such a nail. That's why it struck me that it could be a straw, LOL. Linda
Ducks (and geese and swans) have their 'nail' all their life; in some ducks it isn't too easy to see, but in others it is distinctively coloured and more conspicuous - see e.g. this Ring-necked Duck pic where the nail is black: http://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/showimage/839/ or this Mute Swan (also with a black nail): http://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/showimage/296/ The nail is used for breaking up food, digging for edible roots in mud at the bottom of ponds (and on land!), etc. If you've ever been bitten by a swan, you'll know the nail is quite hard!
The 'nail' on a duck's bill is different to the 'egg tooth' that all birds have for just their first day or two of life, which is for breaking open the egg from inside for hatching. The duckling in the first pic on this thread is already old enough to have lost its egg tooth.
Resin
Cool information, Resin. Thanks for your time and effort toward responding to my query. When I ask such simple questions I often wonder if I just sound "stupid," then I remember that I have a Masters Degree, which suggests that I am not stupid. So, I keep asking the questions and love learning. I truly appreciate your commitment to teaching us. You are just awesome!
Warmly,
Linda
Thanks, Resin, for sharing how to discern the egg tooth and the nail on ducks! Lots of great information that I, too, didn't know about. :-)
