duck, duck, drake

the ducklings' voices have finally changed enough for me to tell what sex they are.  ducks (females) and drakes (males) have very different voices and varieties of vocalizations.  drakes do not have much variety in their vocalizations, they're pretty monotone and really only have two basic vocalizations, a croaky (sometimes mumbly) sort of "wack-wack, wack-wack" that they use as a sort of running dialog, and a more drawn out "waaaaack, waaaaack, waaaack" that they use when they are alerting to something.  drakes are also less vocal in general than are ducks.  ducks have a very wide range of vocalizations, many different kinds of quacks, grunts, squeals, and clucks.  and unlike drakes, ducks are almost never quiet.


duck...

our chocolate duckling has become a very vociferous duck...takes after her mama, brownie, who is probably our most vocal of the older ducks

duck...

blondie is a bit quiet and shy but definitely a duck...and a very pretty duck

drake...

he took his time growing but oscar has become quite a handsome young drake

they've all been running with the rest of the flock for a few weeks now but they still get chased a little by the older ducks and drakes so they tend to stick together.  with a little more time i'm sure they'll find their places in the flock.