Is there any way to tell muscovy and common duck hatchlings apart?

[Henrik Petersson]

The past year, I've hatched a lot of muscovy ducks, and seen photos of some newly hatched common ducks. And as long as the two types of ducklings are newly hatched, it seems to me they're completely identical. Wild-colored ones even have the light spots on their otherwise dark backs on the exact same places.

After some time, of course, one would be able to tell the ducklings apart by the fact that common ducklings grow a lot faster. And some time later, by the developing facial masks of the scovies, etc. So I'm talking about recently hatched individuals here.

Finishing this post by re-posting some images of my muscovy ducklings, a day old or so:

 

[casportpony]

Look at some pictures of Rouen or Mallard ducklings. Look closely at the markings around the eyes.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Look at some pictures of Rouen or Mallard ducklings. Look closely at the markings around the eyes.

This is a mallard duckling. The line from the eye to the beak seems to be nonexistent in scovies?

This is supposed to be a "bright yellow mallard duckling", and even it has a trace of that line:

 

[casportpony]

That's how I tell them apart!

 

[Henrik Petersson]

That's how I tell them apart!

Interesting pedagogy. Instead of telling me the answer, you guided me into finding it out myself.

 

[learycow]

Muscovy are different in body shape. More horizontal and long bodied even as babies.
Heads and bills are a completely different shape as well.

And muscovy have a large bean at the tip of their bill. Mallard derived breeds do not

 

[casportpony]

Interesting pedagogy. Instead of telling me the answer, you guided me into finding it out myself.

I am such a visual person and poor writer that I figured having you look at pictures would be best.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Muscovy are different in body shape. More horizontal and long bodied even as babies.
Heads and bills are a completely different shape as well.

And muscovy have a large bean at the tip of their bill. Mallard derived breeds do not

I don't see the difference in bill and head shape. Possibly that scovies have shorter bills and shorter heads, is that it?

I think I see the bean. Never heard that word used in that sense before. Interesting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's my way of telling them apart from reg domestic ducklings the bean at the tip of their bill.

 

[learycow]

I don't see the difference in bill and head shape. Possibly that scovies have shorter bills and shorter heads, is that it?

I think I see the bean. Never heard that word used in that sense before. Interesting.

It's something you develop an eye for after looking at and comparing babies over the course of a few years! They are noticeably different.

Some you can tell by color also. As muscovy are not usually the same colors as other breeds (minus black and white of course)