{"id":45173,"date":"2017-02-22T06:42:15","date_gmt":"2017-02-22T13:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=45173"},"modified":"2025-09-13T10:34:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T15:34:04","slug":"showcasing-manky-mallard-portraits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/22\/showcasing-manky-mallard-portraits\/","title":{"rendered":"Showcasing Manky Mallard Portraits – They Are Oddly Beautiful"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PalePale Mallard cross – Nikon D300, f9, 1\/1000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve been photographing birds at my local pond since I moved to Utah in 2009 and while I prefer to photograph the wild birds that visit it there are also plenty of mallards that have bred with domesticated ducks that are either beautiful or interesting to see and photograph.<\/p>\n

Mallards are well known for cross breeding with many other ducks species including ducks that have been domesticated, some people call them feral ducks, hybrids or mutt ducks. I prefer to call them “manky”, a term I became aware of when Mike at 10,000 Birds<\/span><\/a> asked to use one of my mallard photos in a post about manky mallards.<\/p>\n

Mike goes into detail about the crosses but I won’t here, I am just sharing these portraits I have taken over the years. Manky ducks come in many colors and sizes and while some people may ignore them as photographic subjects I find them interesting.<\/p>\n

The pale Mallard above hung around my local pond for several years and I thought it was beautiful because of its light colored plumage with spots of dark chocolate, espresso, and butterscotch colored feathers.<\/p>\n

\"LightLight colored Mallard domestic portrait – Nikon D300, f11, 1\/500, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I don’t know what kind of cross this manky mallard is but I thought she had a beautiful face and facial markings that were accented by her soft brown eyes. Her body also had lighter colored plumage than the wild mallard hens.<\/p>\n

\"AlertAlert domestic Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This manky mallard has a very large body, much larger than the wild mallards at the pond so I know it is a cross of something domestic and the coloring isn’t too far off from normal female mallards.<\/p>\n

\"DarkDark relaxed Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

But take a look at that bill. It isn’t the color of a wild mallard at all, in fact parts of it look silver with a hint of patina to it. I don’t think I have ever seen a bill quite that color even on another manky mallard.<\/p>\n

\"DarkDark headed Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there is this guy with his dark brown head with only a few spots of green iridescence and white plumage near his bill that runs down his neck to his chest. That little bit of white behind its eye is interesting too.<\/p>\n

\"MankyManky Mallard close up – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I love the mossy green color of this manky duck’s head against those snowy white feathers. The eye of this duck looks almost violet-blue instead of brown when I view this photo at full resolution.<\/p>\n

\"MossyMossy colored head of a manky Mallard – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The mossy green head feathers were so beautiful to me that I had to share another image of this manky duck right after it took a drink.<\/p>\n

\"StaringStaring dark Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f10, 1\/500, ISO 250, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This dark manky mallard was a large, heavy looking duck with a big head. The nail tip at the end of the bill almost looks like it has a wood grain to it instead of being a solid dark color.<\/p>\n

\"ChocolateChocolate colored Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/400, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I can’t even begin to guess what kind of cross this manky mallard is but I like its chocolate colored head, white bib, and the silvery-blue, black spotted bill along with the scale-like appearance of the feathers on its back and body.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale domestic Mallard portrait – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/400, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This manky mallard was also much larger than the wild mallards on the pond and the iridescence on its head was more blue to turquoise than the wild mallards too. I kind of thought he looked regal.<\/p>\n

Yes, some people might call these manky mallards homely, weird, or even downright ugly but I prefer thinking of them as oddly beautiful and believe they are worthy of being showcased once in a while.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Being an odd duck is too.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my domestic Mallard photos.<\/p>\n

Even these manky mallards are wild, they are just as free to fly at this pond as the wild ducks are.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some people might call these manky mallards homely, weird or even downright ugly but I prefer thinking of them as oddly beautiful and believe they are worthy of being showcased once in a while.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":155708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2363,709,26],"tags":[4237,5575,5685,5683,126,5687,1604,10818,5686,5688,1003,4746,2063],"class_list":["post-45173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-domestic-ducks","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-anas-platyrhynchos","tag-anas-platyrhynchos-domesticus","tag-close-ups","tag-domesticated","tag-ducks-2","tag-feral-ducks","tag-mallard","tag-manky","tag-manky-mallards","tag-mutt-ducks","tag-odd","tag-portraits","tag-waterfowl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mallard-domestic-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3108.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-bKB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":44084,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/23\/domesticated-mallard-with-a-hidden-face\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":0},"title":"Hidden Face On A Domestic Mallard","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Ten days ago I photographed a manky mallard at my local pond and when I pulled images of it up on my monitor I discovered that it has a hidden \"face\" and once I saw it I couldn't un-see it. Do you see it?","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hidden face on a Domestic Mallard's bill, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-mia-mcpherson-4357.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55217,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/05\/resting-feral-domestic-mallard-with-an-eye-on-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":1},"title":"Resting Feral Domestic Mallard With An Eye On Me","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The only image I liked of the few I took yesterday afternoon was of this resting, feral domestic Mallard that appeared to be keeping an eye on me while it floated next to the shoreline of the pond.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Resting Mallard with an eye on me, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-resting-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-resting-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-resting-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/domestic-mallard-resting-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110126,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/02\/09\/calling-mallard-drake-in-the-city\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":2},"title":"Calling Mallard Drake In The City","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I enjoy photographing even the most abundant ducks at my local city ponds. I simply couldn't resist taking images of this calling Mallard drake two days ago.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Mallard drake on an urban pond, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mallard-drake-open-bill-mia-mcphersonn-2002.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109334,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/05\/dapper-mallard-drake-in-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":3},"title":"Dapper Mallard Drake In Snow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"After I photographed the handsome Gadwall drake that I shared yesterday I couldn't resist taking images of this alert and dapper Mallard drake in the snow.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dapper Mallard drake in snow, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-dapper-snow-mia-mcpherson-7562.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-dapper-snow-mia-mcpherson-7562.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-dapper-snow-mia-mcpherson-7562.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-dapper-snow-mia-mcpherson-7562.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":108855,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/12\/20\/mallard-hen-on-silky-water\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":4},"title":"Mallard Hen On Silky Water","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"While at one of my local ponds two days ago, the only birds I photographed were ducks. This Mallard hen floating on silky water caught my eyes.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mallard hen on silky waters, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mallard-hen-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-6429.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mallard-hen-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-6429.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mallard-hen-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-6429.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mallard-hen-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-6429.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109721,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/19\/simply-a-duck-on-a-rock\/","url_meta":{"origin":45173,"position":5},"title":"Simply A Duck On A Rock","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I headed down to my neighborhood ponds yesterday morning while there was some sunshine and my favorite image of the day was simply a duck on a rock.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mallard on a rock, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-on-a-rock-mia-mcpherson-8489.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-on-a-rock-mia-mcpherson-8489.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-on-a-rock-mia-mcpherson-8489.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mallard-drake-on-a-rock-mia-mcpherson-8489.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45173\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}