Definition:
(noun) A fully sexually mature adult male duck of any duck species, wild or domestic. The term drake refers exclusively to males while the term duck can refer to either gender, and the term hen refers exclusively to females. Immature birds of either gender are called ducklings.
Pronunciation:
DRAKE
About Drakes
For most ducks native to the Northern Hemisphere, a drake's plumage is significantly different than that of hens of the same species.
Males often have more vibrant coloration, including bolder color patches, greater contrast, more elaborate markings and even iridescent patches. Particularly for dabbling duck drakes, these differences contrast boldly with the far more muted females, which often have mottled plumage in neutral buff, brown, gray, black and similar earth tone colors.
Examples of strongly dimorphic drakes include...
- The boldly painted harlequin duck
- The strong color pattern of the northern shoveler
- The bright blue bill of male ruddy ducks
- The rainbow-like colors of the king eider
- The pied and iridescent colors of the bufflehead
In each of these cases, and many others, females are much more camouflaged. For many similar duck species, females may be very challenging to tell apart, while males can be instantly identified.
Many male ducks also have oddly shaped feathers that attract attention to their plumage. Familiar examples include...
- The upward curled tail of the mallard
- The wide fan or sail feathers of the mandarin duck
- The iridescent crest of the wood duck
- The long, sharp tail of the northern pintail
- The thick, arcing hood of the hooded merganser
These unusual feather shapes and bright colors are critical for attracting mates and showing off strength and health to defend a territory. Both the colors and the unique feathers often play critical roles in courtship displays, and males will use postures and movements that show off their feather specialization in order to attract the attention of desirable females.
When Drakes Look Different
For a brief period after the breeding season, many male ducks molt to an eclipse plumage that more closely resembles the camouflaged colors of the females. During that short period they are flightless and more vulnerable to predators. For protection, eclipse males may gather in all-male flocks or may opt to stay in more densely vegetated habitat where they are more easily concealed.
Juvenile males also lack the brighter colors of fully sexually mature birds, and will not develop any specialized feathers until their first breeding season when they begin to seek mates. When young, all male ducklings look similar, and as they mature, they first develop camouflaged coloration similar to females. This helps protect the inexperienced birds, but as they grow they gradually molt into the brighter colors and marking patterns characteristic of their gender.
There is less sexual dimorphism among ducks in the Southern Hemisphere, but most drakes are still able to be distinguished from females.
Also Known As:
Duck
Photo – Mandarin Duck Drake © David Fant
