Male ducks in some species are easy to identify:

This becomes trickier with females. Take the Pekin Duck for example.

If the duck has a curled feather at the end of the tail, it is a male.

No curled feather means female.

In addition, female Pekins have a loud honk and the males give a quieter quack.

Female and male American Black Ducks also look alike. The difference is that the male has a yellow bill.

Here are photos I have taken of 21 species of Ontario female ducks.

GADWALL

MALLARD

AMERICAN WIGEON

WOOD DUCK

NORTHERN SHOVELER

BLUE-WINGED TEAL

GREEN-WINGED TEAL

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER

LONG-TAILED DUCK

REDHEAD

RING-NECKED DUCK

LESSER SCAUP (the differences between Lesser and Greater Scaup are subtle)

Is That a Greater or a Lesser Scaup?

GREATER SCAUP

COMMON GOLDENEYE

HARLEQUIN DUCK

BUFFLEHEAD

RUDDY DUCK

COMMON MERGANSER

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

HOODED MERGANSER

NATURE POETRY

She was a Phantom of delight
When first she gleamed upon my sight;
A lovely Apparition – William Wordsworth

Miles Hearn