This page contains many species of female duck, where the female differs from the male.
Female ducks generally have a dull brownish plumage which helps them become less conspicuous by blending into the background. The Male (drake) has a bright colourful plumage in the breeding season to attract a mate but often looks more like the female (Duck) when it moults after the start of the non-breeding season and gains its eclipse plumage. Some species of female ducks, particularly the South American ducks, have the same colour plumage as the male.
Below are a selection of female ducks which have a different colour plumage or eye-colour to that of the male and may be helpful in identifying various species of duck.
Click on the Duck photographs to enlarge them or if you click on the Duck's name then it will take you to another page with information, more photos, and sometimes a video of that particular Duck.
Falcated Duck (Anas Falcata) Photo: Dave Key |
Gadwall (Anas Strepera) Photo: Dave Key |
Garganey (Anas Querquedula) Photo: Dave Key |
Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos) Photo: Dave Key |
Northern Pintail (Anas Acuta) Photo: Dave Key |
Australian Shoveler (Anas Rhynchotis) Photo: Dave Key |
Cape Shoveler (Anas Smithii) |
Northern Shoveler (Anas Clypeata) Photo: Dave Key |
Red Shoveler (Anas Platalea) Photo: Dave Key |
Blue-winged Teal (Anas Discors) Photo: Dave Key |
Chestnut Teal (Anas Castanea) |
Cinnamon Teal (Anas Cyanoptera) Photo: Dave Key |
Eurasian Teal (Anas Crecca) Photo: Nigel Key |
American Wigeon (Anas Americana) Photo: Dave Key |
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope) Photo: Dave Key |
Canvasback (Aythya Valisineria) Photo: Dave Key |
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya Nyroca) Photo: Dave Key |
Hardhead (Aythya Australis) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Pochard (Aythya Ferina) |
Red-crested Pochard (Netta Rufina) Photo: Dave Key |
Southern Pochard (Netta Erythrophthalma) Photo: Dave Key |
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya Collaris) Photo: Dave Key |
Rosybill (Vetta Peposaca) Photo: Dave Key |
Greater Scaup (Aythya Marila) photo by Dave Key |
Lesser Scaup (Aythya Affinis) Photo: Dave Key |
New Zealand Scaup (Anas Novaeseelandiae) |
Tufted Duck (Aythya Fuligula) Photo: Dave Key |
American Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa) Photo: Dave Key |
Brazilian Duck (Amazonetta Brasiliensis) Photo: Dave Key |
Mandarin (Aix Galericulata) Photo: Dave Key |
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus Auritus) Photo: Dave Key |
Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus Coromandelianus) |
Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta Jubata) Photo: Dave Key |
Maccoa Duck (Oxyura Maccoa) Photo: Nigel Key |
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura Jamaicensis) |
White-headed Duck (Oxyura Leucocephalia) Photo: Dave Key |
Lake Duck (Oxyura Vittata) Photo: Dave Key |
Musk Duck (Biziura Lobata) |
Bufflehead (Bucephala Albeola) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Eider (Somateria Mollissima) Photo: Dave Key |
King Eider (Somateria Spectabilis) |
Spectacled Eider (Somateria Fischeri) |
Steller's Eider (Polysticta Stelleri) |
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala Islandica) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala Clangula) Photo: Nigel Key |
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula Hyemalis) |
Common Merganser (Mergus Merganser) Photo: Dave Key |
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes Cucullatus) Photo: Nigel Key |
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus Serrator) |
Scaly-sided Merganser (Mergus Squamatus) |
Surf Scoter (Melanitta Perspicillata) |
Smew (Mergellus Albellus) Photo: Dave Key |
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna Tadornoides) Photo: Dave Key |
Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna Variegata) |
South African Shelduck (Tadorna Cana) Photo: Dave Key |
Baer's Pochard (Aythya Baeri) Photo: Dave Key |
Redhead (Aythya Americana) Photo: Dave Key |
Falcated Duck (Anas Falcata) Photo: Dave Key |
Gadwall (Anas Strepera) Photo: Dave Key |
Garganey (Anas Querquedula) Photo: Dave Key |
Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos) Photo: Dave Key |
Northern Pintail (Anas Acuta) Photo: Dave Key |
Australian Shoveler (Anas Rhynchotis) Photo: Dave Key |
Cape Shoveler (Anas Smithii) |
Northern Shoveler (Anas Clypeata) Photo: Dave Key |
Red Shoveler (Anas Platalea) Photo: Dave Key |
Blue-winged Teal (Anas Discors) Photo: Dave Key |
Chestnut Teal (Anas Castanea) |
Cinnamon Teal (Anas Cyanoptera) Photo: Dave Key |
Eurasian Teal (Anas Crecca) Photo: Nigel Key |
American Wigeon (Anas Americana) Photo: Dave Key |
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope) Photo: Dave Key |
Canvasback (Aythya Valisineria) Photo: Dave Key |
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya Nyroca) Photo: Dave Key |
Hardhead (Aythya Australis) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Pochard (Aythya Ferina) |
Red-crested Pochard (Netta Rufina) Photo: Dave Key |
Southern Pochard (Netta Erythrophthalma) Photo: Dave Key |
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya Collaris) Photo: Dave Key |
Rosybill (Vetta Peposaca) Photo: Dave Key |
Greater Scaup (Aythya Marila) photo by Dave Key |
Lesser Scaup (Aythya Affinis) Photo: Dave Key |
New Zealand Scaup (Anas Novaeseelandiae) |
Tufted Duck (Aythya Fuligula) Photo: Dave Key |
American Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa) Photo: Dave Key |
Brazilian Duck (Amazonetta Brasiliensis) Photo: Dave Key |
Mandarin (Aix Galericulata) Photo: Dave Key |
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus Auritus) Photo: Dave Key |
Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus Coromandelianus) |
Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta Jubata) Photo: Dave Key |
Maccoa Duck (Oxyura Maccoa) Photo: Nigel Key |
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura Jamaicensis) |
White-headed Duck (Oxyura Leucocephalia) Photo: Dave Key |
Lake Duck (Oxyura Vittata) Photo: Dave Key |
Musk Duck (Biziura Lobata) |
Bufflehead (Bucephala Albeola) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Eider (Somateria Mollissima) Photo: Dave Key |
King Eider (Somateria Spectabilis) |
Spectacled Eider (Somateria Fischeri) |
Steller's Eider (Polysticta Stelleri) |
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala Islandica) Photo: Dave Key |
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala Clangula) Photo: Nigel Key |
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula Hyemalis) |
Common Merganser (Mergus Merganser) Photo: Dave Key |
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes Cucullatus) Photo: Nigel Key |
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus Serrator) |
Scaly-sided Merganser (Mergus Squamatus) |
Surf Scoter (Melanitta Perspicillata) |
Smew (Mergellus Albellus) Photo: Dave Key |
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna Tadornoides) Photo: Dave Key |
Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna Variegata) |
South African Shelduck (Tadorna Cana) Photo: Dave Key |
Baer's Pochard (Aythya Baeri) Photo: Dave Key |
Redhead (Aythya Americana) Photo: Dave Key |
Click on the Duck photographs to enlarge them or if you click on the Duck's name then it will take you to another page with information, more photos, and sometimes a video of that particular Duck.