Instructions
Look at the feathers of the duck. In a mature Pekin duck, the tail feathers of the drake, or male duck, will be slightly curled at the tip. This distinguishes him from a hen. During molting season, ducks shed feathers. During molting season, which happens twice a year, it may be impossible to distinguish a drake from a female duck. Hens may also have missing feathers on the back of their neck due to the amorous advances of the drakes during mating season.
Listen to the sound of the duck. The difference between their vocalizations is a very accurate way to identify the gender of a duck. The female duck will have a distinctive, loud quack used in calling her ducklings to attention. A female will often bellow her quack sound in repeated strings of ̶0;quack, quack, quack.̶1; By comparison, the male ducks will have a soft, raspy sound often described as a hollow quack.
Flip the duck. Through a process called venting, one can inspect the sexual organs of a Pekin duck. For amateur duck enthusiasts, this method of determining the sex of a duck is not recommended because it can be harmful to the duck. It can also be hazardous to the duck observer. To vent a duck, hold the duck on its back and look for the vent under the tail. The ̶0;vent̶1; is the small opening through which a duck lays eggs or defecates. Holding the tail down, gently press on either side of the vent to open it and expose the genetalia. The male duck will have a penis and the female duck will have folds of pink tissue.
How to Tell if a White Duck is Male or Female
Most white ducks in North America are Pekin ducks, which are prized for their meat and size. There are three main ways to figure out the sex of a Pekin duck: look, listen or flip.