Plumage Black with a beetle-green lustre throughout.
Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings Black with a beetle-green sheen. Underwing dark grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible. Orange shading permitted in older drakes.
Plumage Black with a beetle-green lustre throughout.
Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings Black with a beetle-green sheen. Underwing dark grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible.
Colour Disqualifications Conspicuous brown or white in the plumage, including underwing. Yellow bill. Pencilling on the breast. In the female: eye stripes.
Major Colour Defects Purple lustre in the plumage. Grey under chin or on the secondaries and coverts. In the female: orange in the legs and feet.
Minor Colour Defects Grey Blue tip on the bill.
Plumage A rich, solid chocolate throughout. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings A dark, rich, solid chocolate throughout. Underwing pearly brown-grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible. Orange shading permitted in older drakes.
Plumage A rich, solid chocolate throughout. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings A dark, rich, solid chocolate throughout. Underwing pearly brown-grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible.
Colour Disqualifications Yellow bill. Conspicuous white or pencilling in outer plumage including the underwing In the female: eye stripes.
Major Colour Defects Green bill. orange in the legs and feet.
Plumage Rich dark blue. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Bluish green.
Wings Rich slate blue with dark lacing on the coverts. Underwing blue/grey.
Legs and webs Smoky orange to grey.
Head and neck Rich blue. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Bluish grey.
Wings Rich slate blue with dark lacing on the coverts. Underwing blue-grey.
Legs and webs Smoky orange to grey.
Colour Disqualifications Feathers of any colour other than blue, notably any russet tinge including the underwing.
Major Colour Defects Yellow bill.
Minor Colour Defects Dark flecks in the plumage.
Head and neck Dark bronze with metallic lustre, changing to rich brown-red of the lower neck and upper breast. Eyes golden brown. Bill: Pure black to dark olive green mottled with black.
Back Deep brown, almost black with metallic lustre on the rump.
Breast Rich brown-red on the lower neck and upper breast. Lower breast: French grey produced by fine stippling of sepia on afawn drake lighter.
Flanks etc. French grey produced by fine stippling of sepia on a lighter ground, extending to the almost black undertail.
Tail Deep brown, almost black towards the centre.
Legs and webs Black or dark tan mottled with black.
Head and neck Warm ginger fawn, a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the body. Each feather is marked with darker red brown graining. No eye stripes. Eyes: Golden brown. Bill: Black.
Back Rich and well-marked pencilling on an almost uniform warm ginger fawn ground with no marked variation of shade.
Breast The lower part of the neck and neck expansion is a shade warmer than the head and upper neck, each feather pencilled with warm red-brown.
Flanks etc. Light fawn, pencilled.
Tail Light fawn, pencilled.
Wings Secondaries warm red-brown. Primaries a shade lighter. Scapulars rich ginger-fawn with well-marked red-brown pencilling. Smaller coverts slightly lighter than the scapulars but darkening towards the greater coverts, pencilled.
Legs and webs Black or dark tan. fawn duck.
Colour Disqualifications White body or wing feathers. Blue or green wing bars. Orange or yellow bill. Bright orange feet or legs.
In the male: lack of brown-red breast colour. In the female: lack of warm ginger-fawn tone to the plumage; chevron pencilling; eyebrows or eye stripes.
Major Colour Defects Light or cream wing-coverts or flights. Light tan legs and feet. In the female: barred feathers on lower flanks
See sample pdf of pages 100 and 102 Blue Dusky and Apricot Dusky
Head and neck The cap and cheek markings are dull bronze-green. The cap is separated from the cheek markings by a projection from the white of the neck extending up to, and in most cases terminating in, a narrow line more or less encircling the eye. The cap should cleanly and smoothly encircle the head. The cheek markings should not extend on to the neck. The bill is divided from the head markings by a narrow prolongation of the neck-white (3-6 mm wide) extending from the white underneath the chin. The neck is pure white to where the neck expansion begins, where the meeting is clean cut. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Light orange-yellow in young birds; green-yellow in adult drakes; black bean.
Back The base of the neck, scapular feathers, back and rump are similar to the breast colours, darkening to green-bronze on the rump.
Breast Uniform soft warm or ginger-fawn, produced by a fine stippling of brown on the cream ground of the individual feathers. The fawn of the thorax should meet the white of the abdomen in a clean line (near the bottom of the breast bone and the top of the thighs).
Flanks etc. The white extends between the legs to beyond the vent, and also includes the thigh coverts, which obscure most of the coloured thighs.
Tail Tail feathers cream to medium brown in the central area. Undertail bronze.
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
Head and neck The cap and cheek markings are nearly the same shade of fawn as the body colour. The cap is separated from the cheek markings by a projection from the white of the neck extending up to, and in most cases terminating in, a narrow line more or less encircling the eye. The cap should cleanly and smoothly encircle the head. The cheek markings should not extend on to the neck. The bill is divided from the head markings by a narrow prolongation of the neck-white (3–6 mm wide) extending from the white underneath the chin. The neck is pure white to where the neck expansion begins, where the meeting is clean cut. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow in young birds; spotted green to almost entirely dull cucumber in adult females. Black bean.
Back The base of the neck, scapular feathers, back and rump are similar to the breast colours.
Breast and flanks The coloured plumage is nearly the same shade as the Fawn Runner duck; the feathers are pencilled, medium brown on fawn. The fawn of the thorax should meet the white of the abdomen in a clean line (near the bottom of the breast bone and the top of the thighs).
The white extends between the legs to beyond the vent, and also includes the thigh coverts which obscure most of the coloured thighs.
Tail Fawn to medium brown in the central area.
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
Colour Disqualifications In the male: seal-grey or seal-brown cap, cheek and tail coverts. Any sign of a brown-red bib.
In the female: blue grey pencilling on coloured body feathers or solid un-pencilled apricot buff feathers.
Major Colour Defects In the male: light coloured scapulars.
In the female: Eystripes.
Both: Asymmetry of markings. Fawn extending from the back on to the abdomen and thigh coverts (‘foul flanked’). insufficient white plumage.
Minor Colour Defects ‘Dribbles’ of cap colour on to the white neck. Cheek markings extending on to the neck. Any irregular, blotchy or unclear markings that detract from the symmetry and general cleanness of the colour boundaries. Lack of black bean on bill.
Head and neck Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn. The cap is grey-fawn. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow in young birds; green-yellow in adult drakes. Pale bean.
Back Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn, grey-fawn on the rump.
Breast and flanks Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn.
Tail Tail feathers cream to light grey-fawn in the central area. Undertail grey-fawn.
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts light fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
NEW PHOTOS ARE IN THE 2008 STANDARDS BOOK
Head and neck Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot- fawn. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow possibly darkening with age. Pale bean.
Back Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Breast and flanks Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Tail Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts light apricot-fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
Colour Disqualifications In the male: bronze-green or seal brown cap, cheek & tail coverts. In the female, medium brown or blue grey pencilling on coloured body feathers.
Major Colour Defects Fawn extending from the back on to the abdomen and thigh coverts (‘foul flanked’). Black bean on bill.
Minor Colour Defects ‘Dribbles’ of cap colour on to the white neck. Cheek markings extending on to the neck. Any irregular, blotchy or unclear markings that detract from the symmetry and general cleanness of the colour boundaries.
Head and neck Black with green lustre on the head and upper neck; a distinct white collar almost encircling the neck. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: green, dark bean
Back Dark grey shading to greenish black over the rump.
Breast Rich claret with no white fringing; margin of claret clearly defined.
Flanks etc. Light grey with dark grey stippling. Grey covering as much of the stern as possible
Tail Medium dull brown, paler outer feathers; coverts and undertail black mallard male
Wings Primaries and tertials grey. Speculum iridescent blue bordered by black then white. Coverts brownish grey except for greater coverts which are tipped with white then black. Main scapulars clear steel grey, outer edge bronze tinge. Cream/white underwingLegs and webs Dull orange, darker webs.
Head and neck - Golden brown, each feather with darker brown graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the neck. Eye stripes i.e. a paler line above the eye, a dark line through the eye and a pale line in front of the eye. Plain brown throat. Eyes: brown. Bill: dark orange with brown saddle and dark bean.
Back Brown or chestnut with darker pencilling (chevrons).
Breast and flanks Brown or chestnut with dark brown pencilling on each feather. Underbody similar.
Tail - Dull dark buff, irregularly marked with brown; darker feathers in the centre than the outer edgesWings - Primaries brownish slate. Speculum and its borders as drake. Tertials browner than primaries on exposed half. Coverts same colour as back. Scapulars similar to the Rouen . Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs - Dull orange, darker webs.
mallard female
Colour Disqualifications - Clear yellow, blue or lead-coloured bill. White in the primaries. Pigmented underwing. Incomplete, obscure or bronze speculum. In the male: lack of neck ring; completely white stern. In the female: Lack of eye stripes; any indication of a white neck ring. Light fawn ground colour.
Major Colour Defects White feathers under the bill. In the male: white fringing on the claret breast feathers. Claret running into the body colour; yellow or blue-green in the colour of the bill; grey or white in the head colour. In the female: unclear pencilling on scapulars and back; pale throat and eye markings.
Minor Colour Defects Indistinct secondary or greater covert bars. In the male: black marks on the bill; lack of dark bronze on scapulars.
Head and neck - Head and upper neck black with green lustre, terminated by an unbroken white neck ring. Eyes: dark brown.
Bill - olive-green with black bean.
Back - Upper back white feathers finely stippled with black and fringed with white. Lower down the back the stippling becomes heavier, each feather preferably fringed with white, until solid black with green lustre on the rump. Black sex curls which may be tipped with white.
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders - claret fringed with white.
Flanks etc. - Ground colour silvery whitish cream (white being preferable). A little of the claret breast colour extending along the upper flank. silver male.
Tail - Brown-black bordered with white. Undertail black, finishing neatly and not running into the stern and flank colour.
Wings - Primaries silvery white with a slightly iridescent dark grey overlay. Secondaries (speculum) bluish-green tipped with distinct black then white bars. Greater coverts dark grey with well-defined white rim.
Outer scapulars and tertials as the breast with wider silver-white edging.
Smaller coverts: white feathers finely stippled with black (giving the impression of grey), and fringed with white. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs - Orange.
Head and neck Black with green lustre on the head and upper neck; a distinct white collar almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: golden olive, dark bean.
Back Silver grey with dark grey stippled pencilling, shading to greenish black over the rump. Lower back fringed with stippled light grey pencilling.
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders claret, with fine white fringing on each feather.
Flanks etc. Light grey with mid grey stippled pencilling, shading to white stern.
Tail Light stippled grey on outer vane, darker grey-brown on inner vane. Coverts and undertail black.
Wings Primaries and tertials grey-brown. Speculum iridescent blue bordered with black then white. Coverts silver grey except for greater coverts which are indistinctly tipped with white then black. Main scapulars silver grey, outer edge faint bronze tinge. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs Orange.
Head and neck Fawn, each feather with brown graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the upper neck. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; pale line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy fawn. Eyes: brown. Bill: pinkish orange brown with spots. Dark bean.
Back Fawn ground, delicately streaked or pencilled with dark brown. Pencilling best developed on the larger feathers.
Breast & Flanks Fawn ground, delicately streaked or pencilled with dark brown. Pencilling best developed on the larger feathers.
Tail Buff marked with dark brown; darker feathers in the centre than the outer edges.
Wings Primaries greyish buff. Speculum and its borders as drake. Tertials showing indications of pencilling. Coverts grey brown edged with light fawn. Scapulars ideally pencilled with a single V in brown on light fawn. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs Dull orange somewhat darker than the drake.
Colour Disqualifications White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. Incomplete speculum. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; yellow or lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring.
Major Colour Defects White feathers under the bill. In the male: bill dark or blue-green; grey or white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: 'mossy' or indistinct feather markings on the back of the duck's body.
Minor Colour Defects Indistinct secondary or greater covert bars. In the male: dark bronze dominating the scapulars. In the female: bright orange bill colour; throat colour extending too far on to the breast.
Head and neck Head and upper neck charcoal blue with slight lustre. Distinct white ring almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: brown. Bill: green, dark bean.
Back Silver grey with blue grey stippled pencilling, shading to laced blue-grey over the rump. Lower back fringed with stippled light grey pencilling. Rump dark laced blue-grey.
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders claret with faint off-white fringing.
Flanks etc. Abdomen, flanks and thighs light grey with blue-grey stippled pencilling, shading to white stern.
Tail Light grey on outer vane of each feather; blue-grey on the inner vane. Undertail blue grey.
Wings Primaries and tertials blue-grey. Speculum charcoal blue bordered with blue grey then white. Coverts silver grey/brown except for greater coverts which are blue-grey tipped with pearl grey then charcoal blue. Main scapulars silver blue-grey, outer edge faint bronze tinge. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs Orange.
Head and neck - Fawn, each feather with blue-grey graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the upper neck. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; pale line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy white. Eyes: brown. Bill: pinkish orange brown with spots. Brown bean.
Back Upper back - Fawn ground clearly pencilled with blue-grey.
Breast & Flanks - Grey fawn delicately streaked or pencilled with blue grey. Ground colour richer fawn and more heavily pencilled on the breast and lower neck.
Tail - Grey-buff on the outer vane of each feather and grey on the inner vane, with slight blue-grey pencilling.
Wings - Primaries grey with faint buff on the leading edges. Speculum dark blue-grey tipped with white.Tertials fawnish blue showing indications of pencilling. Greater coverts light blue-grey tipped with dark blue-grey then white. Lesser coverts fawn with central blue-grey pencilling.
Scapulars rich fawn with central blue-grey pencilling. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs - Dull orange.
Colour Disqualifications - White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring.
Major Colour Defects -White feathers under the bill. In the male: grey or white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: white feathers under the bill.
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: throat colour extending too far on to the breast.
Head and neck -Head and upper neck pigeon blue. Distinct white ring almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the back and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: brown. Bill: yellow green; horn coloured bean.
Back - Oatmeal shading to solid pigeon blue over the rump.
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders - claret with faint off-white fringing.
Flanks etc.- Abdomen, flanks and thighs pearl grey, shading to white stern.
Tail - Cream on outer vane of each feather; pearl grey on the inner vane. Undertail pigeon blue Blaugelb.
Wings Primaries and tertials - pearl-grey. Speculum pigeon blue tipped with white. Small coverts oatmeal changing to fawn on the greater coverts which are pigeon blue tipped with white. Main scapulars oatmeal, outer edge claret tinge. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs - Orange.
Head and neck - Deep apricot buff. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; creamy white line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy fawn. Eyes: brown. Bill: brown-yellow. Pale bean.
Back - Apricot buff. Lower back and rump pale apricot.
Breast & Flanks - Deep apricot buff.
Tail - Apricot buff on the outer vane of each feather and light buff on the inner vane.
Wings - Primaries oatmeal. Secondaries (speculum) pigeon blue tipped with white. Smaller coverts light apricot buff. Greater coverts pigeon blue tipped with white. Main scapulars deep apricot buff.
Legs and webs - Orange . Blaugelb female
Colour Disqualifications - White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring.
Major Colour Defects - White feathers under the bill. In the male: black bean on bill; white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: white feathers under the bill.
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: throat colour extending too far on to the breast.
Plumage -Pure white throughout.
Eyes - blue. Bill: Orange-yellow. Legs & Webs: orange,
Plumage - Plumage pure white.
Eyes - blue. Bill bright yellow orange. Legs &s Webs: orange.
Colour Disqualifications - Any coloured feathers. In the male: any black on the bill.
Major Colour Defects - In the female: black bean or line on the bill. mottled legs.
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: black spots are a common minor fault with age.
Page last updated: 16th October 2023
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