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Mystery Duck??? I have
been watching this duck/duckling for a while now. It's mother is a Pekin
& I thought it's father was a crested mallard but from the face markings
& dark bill, it seems to be a Pekin/Garganey hybrid & yet her
wingtips have the mallard markings. The mystery continues.
The crest is formed from a mass of
fatty tissue that emerges through a gap in the cranium.( skull) From
this, feathers grow. Crests vary from centrally placed, full crests,
rather like powder puffs, to knobbly protuberances with just a few
feathers; or the occasional earring when it has 'slipped'. The
crested gene can be bred into any breed except Muscovy as one parent
crested will breed a percentage of crested offspring .All crested
seldom breed successfully but if they do produce better stock.
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