wood duck color variation

[bthompson1004]

I was just reading through Curran's hunting journal and came across his beautiful photos of some woodies that he recently harvested...we all know how beautiful those birds with their bright and resillient colors...The drake in particular...

The drake I shot over the weekend seemed to have far less color than the one Curran harvested...which got me to thinking about these ducks more.

first thought is, interesting to me (maybe others), even though the ducks are the same species, both were harvested from 2 different places in the state and one has more color than the other...just made me wonder why that is?

more specifically, when does the woody come into full color? does age play a factor when they molt full color plummage?

Interesested to hear what other members thoughts are.

Here is a pic of the drake (with less color) I harvested.

 

[Derek j]

Looks to me more like an immature bird. We have shot them along the river many a times during the early season. Most birds when less than a year old will look quite different until they fully mature. I shot a widgeon last year that would have been a great wall hanger.......if it had been a year older. Mallards are the only birds that I have seen that look similiar in appearance. The main difference with them is the curls.

 

[Curran]

Yep. Immature bird is my thought too, possibly from a later hatch resulting in not completely colored up. Most immature birds shot in the early part of the season will look like that. Another month under his belt & he could look more colorful... but that's not gonna happen since he's dead. ; )

 

[bthompson1004]

yep he's pretty dead....haha...thanks for the help guys...I thought age had a big part in it...just wanting to learn everything about these ducks that I can...

one thing i didn't consider however, was late hatch...interesting point again....Curran, do you suspect your's was from an earlier hatch then?

 

[Archertl]

Yep that's an immature wood duck.

 

[Carpn]

Yep , just a youngster . They'll get real pretty as they get older .

 

[Milo]

I was just reading through Curran's hunting journal and came across his beautiful photos of some woodies that he recently harvested...we all know how beautiful those birds with their bright and resillient colors...The drake in particular...

The drake I shot over the weekend seemed to have far less color than the one Curran harvested...which got me to thinking about these ducks more.

first thought is, interesting to me (maybe others), even though the ducks are the same species, both were harvested from 2 different places in the state and one has more color than the other...just made me wonder why that is?

more specifically, when does the woody come into full color? does age play a factor when they molt full color plummage?

Interesested to hear what other members thoughts are.

Here is a pic of the drake (with less color) I harvested.

View attachment 17168

thats looks like a woodteal to me!!

 

[bthompson1004]

thats looks like a woodteal to me!!

interesting...a combo bird? what features make you think that? I'm just curious to know what you guys know, I am fairly new to all this. and ducks can be tricky.

Here are some more photos of this bird.

 

[Rutin]

We killed 5 today and and it was amazing watching drakes of different colors pass by as we packed up! Bet we saw 120 woodies today.... good day on the river!

 

[Milo]

interesting...a combo bird? what features make you think that? I'm just curious to know what you guys know, I am fairly new to all this. and ducks can be tricky.

Here are some more photos of this bird.

View attachment 17171View attachment 17172

its a waterfowling joke..ohio is one of like 2 states that doesn't have a wood duck/early teal season because the juviniles look like teal..its a ticket writing hay day at Big Island marsh(where we used to hunt) ...when is early teal season, make sure you know or have quick access to a muskrat hole:smiley_crocodile:

 

[bthompson1004]

guess I showed how new to this I am...I remember reading about some of those violations in the cuffs and collars reports in the Ohio Outdoors news before...thanks for all the info here.