American Black Duck or Mottled Duck?
 

i shot a duck that i beleive may be a true black duck and not justt a mottled duck like we usually kill down here in texas. I was not able to upload a picture onto the thread but if you think you could help me identify the duck i would really appreciate it. If you would leave you email address i will send you a picture. Thank You

RE: American Black Duck or Mottled Duck?
 

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist/index.htm

RE: American Black Duck or Mottled Duck?
 

First:

What color are the feet?

Second:

What color is the speculum (patch on the wing) and how are the colors oriented?

Thrid:

What does the underside of the wing look like, brown in the feathers?

Fourth:

How about that beak? And what is the OAL of the bird?

RE: American Black Duck or Mottled Duck?
 

Easiest way is to see if there is a thin white border on the bottom edge of the speculum. Black ducks have no white around the speculum, and the mottled ducks have a thin white border on the bottom edge. Mottled also have a black border where the bill meets the head.