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Dusky Call Ducks   

The CDA/BWA Standard 2007 for  the Dusky Mallard Call

MALLARD DUSKY MALE  
Head and Neck :  Black with green lustre on the head and upper neck. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: green, dark bean. No white collar.  
Back:  Dark grey-brown, shading to greenish black over the rump.  
Breast:  As flank feathers; no claret bib.  
Flanks etc.  Light grey, each feather finely stippled (pencilled, like the Dark Campbell) with dark grey.  
Tail: Grey-brown, paler outer feathers; coverts and undertail greenish black.  
Wings:  Primaries grey-brown. Secondaries: (speculum) sooty grey with slight iridescence only, tipped with fine whitish-grey line. Tertials grey-brown. Minor coverts grey-brown; secondary coverts tipped with white then fine black line. Scapulars slightly darker than Mallard, brown edged. Under-wing coverts pearly grey-blue; axillars pale brown-grey.  
Legs: Legs and webs dull orange.  
MALLARD DUSKY FEMALE  
Head and Neck :Brown, with darker graining. No eye stripes. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Dull grey-brown with dark bean and saddle.  
Back:  Brown, with darker pencilling (chevrons).  
Breast and flanks:  Brown, with dark brown pencilling on each feather. Underbody similar.  
Tail: Dull dark buff, irregularly marked with brown; darker tail feathers in the centre than the outer edges.  
Wings:  Primaries, secondaries and tertials dull brown. Slight iridescence only on sooty grey secondaries, tipped with faint whitish-grey line. Minor coverts brown-grey; secondary coverts tipped with white forming a bar above the secondaries.
Under wing coverts and axillars as drake.  
Legs: Dull orange with darker webs. 
Disqualifications 
Male: Any indication of claret bib. During eclipse: any sign of eye stripes.  
Female: Any evidence of eye stripes.  
Both: White neck ring. Cream or white axillars and under wing coverts. White primary feathers. Iridescent blue speculum. Blue eyes.

Minor faults 
Male: Lack of black undertail.  
Both: White feathers under the bill.  
 

Blue Dusky drake. His head is a darker (charcoal blue) colour than the Apricot Dusky.

The dusky blue drake flapping shows the pigmented underside of his wings - a true dusky characteristic.

Apricot Dusky

Pair of Apricot Duskies - two blue genes  in the presence of dusky genes.