How rare are these? Is this due to the maturity of the bird? Mount worthy? just curious. Shot this one today.

I have never seen three.

If the rest of the bird looks good, and you've got the cash and desire to have a bird mounted, by all means!

I have shot a few 3 and 4 curl mallards, and I don't shoot a whole lot of mallards. Most of the time it only looks like 1 or 2 but if you pull them out they are sometimes layered. I have read in several different things that it has nothing to do with maturity though.

When a Mallard Drake has his tail properly groomed, he displays 2 Curls. The individual curls are made up usually of 2 feathers a piece, although I have seen them with 3 or 4. The "3 or 4 curl" mallards that folks talk about are a result of the feather curls coming apart after being shot, splashing on the water,etc..

I don't get on alot of mallards but the ones I have I've plucked the curls out and what Birdworks said is exactly what I've seen. There are four curl feathers.

All fully plummed, mature Mallards display 2 curls that are made up of 4 curled feathers. I have never seen a true 3 or 4 curl in 31 years of duck hunting and doing Taxidermy. That one looks rare unless one of the back curl feathers was pulled out some, it does look like it's not fully curled though.

man that sure is pretty though

I have seen a live three curl mallard, but he could have just not been a good groomer