Hey guys

We shot a couple of what we think are mottled ducks today. However, one has all black around the color band on his wing (i.e. Black Duck) while the other has white bands (mottled duck, mallard hen).

What do you guys think. The duck on the bottom is the suspected black duck.

Never shot a Mottled but have shot plenty of Blacks. Those are not Blacks - not nearly dark enough. I would guess one pure Mottled and one Mallard/Mottled cross.

This might help-

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

X2 I thought we had shot a black yesterday but after doing some reading I'm leanin more towards mallard/mottled cross due to the white edges around the speculum.

I've always been told that the chin is what gives it away, mottled ducks are clean on the chin (no spots) and blacks have speckles under the chin.

There is definitively some mix in there, mallards will get it on with anything too slow to get away.

Nice looking birds! I shot a pair of mottled in Ashley, and another pair in Chicot county in south AR, more than 7 hours from the coast.

I figured they where mottled, but I wanted to check before I cleaned them. These are my first mottled, kinda threw me for a loop.

Black ducks have purple wing patches with no white bands and the bill is a true green color. Adults are big beautiful birds and they are much more difficult to decoy than mallards. Great birds!

I agree man! Still may not kill another! It makes sense though cause I could swear I had a bead on a mallard drake before dad pulled me off. Nice catch!

bottom is a mottle and top is mallard hen

Both mottles. Top one might have a little mallard in the blood. No mallard hens or blacks in the pic....bet that.

look like mottles to me.

My dog looked at the pic and toled me they were not Blacks!! His people are from Maryland so he knows!!