I know they are pretty common birds but aren't they handsome? The females are perfectly coloured for nest sitting whilst the males look so good in their bright plumage.
Eileen i'm no bird expert...hubby has told me in the past you know by their heads but are the green head velvet ones male or female as that colour green is gorgeous
Yes Gail the ones with the green heads are the males. Most species of birds tend to have colourful males and duller females.
I was looking at the two females and it looks like the one on the left is a Black duck. They interbreed with mallards. You can see the two different colored bills. As for the better colored male, the only female bird I have photographed that has the better colors is the Kingfisher,
I see what you mean Kildale. On closer inspection the two females have slightly different plumage as well as their bills being different colours. Well spotted!!
Thanks Eileen you would have thought the female carried more colour but I suppose it could be due to when they mate and colour displays.
Thanks for pointing that out Kildale...a black duck female, I did notice the difference in the bill, etc. I thought some might be older.
