Duckling Identification Guide
Identifying What Duckling You Found
Muscovy ducklings come in a variety of color combinations, but they can only consist of two colors: yellow and brown.
They are often mistaken for Mallard or Wood ducklings, but with a little attention to detail, you can distinguish between them.
How to Identify a Muscovy Duckling
Muscovy ducklings have a unique eye stripe pattern that sets them apart from other species:
✅ The stripe near their eye stops at the eye and does not extend to the bill.
Their heads may have more brown on them or may be completely brown or completely yellow.
Muscovy vs. Mallard Ducklings
🚫 Mallard ducklings have an eye stripe that runs all the way from the back of the head, through the eye, and to the bill.
➡️ Key Difference: If the stripe extends past the eye to the bill, it's likely a Mallard, not a Muscovy.
Muscovy vs. Wood Ducklings
Wood ducklings and Muscovy ducklings look almost identical, with a similar eye stripe pattern. However, there are two key differences:
Size – Wood ducklings are typically much smaller than Muscovy ducklings.
(However, if you've never held a duckling before, any duckling under a week old will feel tiny, so size alone isn't the best indicator.)
Brown Stripe Down the Center of Its Head - The stripe that goes down the center of a Wood duckling’s head is always wide, encompassing the majority of the base of its bill.
Color - The yellow of a Wood duckling is more of a buff color than a yellow.
Activity Level – Wood ducklings are extremely active and jumpy because they are instinctively wired to jump from high tree cavities shortly after hatching.
If the duckling constantly tries to jump out of its enclosure and exhausts itself, it is likely a Wood duckling and needs to be taken to a wildlife rehabber immediately to prevent injury or death.
