The terms used to refer to male and female ducks can be confusing. While people often use the terms “drake” and “hen” to refer to male and female ducks respectively, this isn’t always accurate. The proper terms to use depend on the species of duck.
In this article, we’ll look at the terminology used for male and female ducks of the most common domestic duck breeds. We’ll clarify which duck species have hens and drakes, and highlight that not all female ducks are technically called hens.
Terminology for Male vs Female Ducks
Here’s a quick overview of the terminology used to distinguish male from female ducks:
– Drake – A fully mature male duck
– Duck – A fully mature female duck
– Hen – A female domesticated duck that lays eggs
– Duckling – A young duck of either sex
The terms “drake” and “duck” are used for wild duck species. Many domesticated duck breeds also use “drake” and “duck.”
However, for some domesticated ducks the terms “drake” and “hen” are used. The term “hen” specifically refers to a female duck that has reached sexual maturity and lays eggs.
So in summary:
– All male ducks can be called drakes
– Female wild ducks are called ducks
– Female domesticated egg-laying ducks are called hens
This means not all female ducks are technically hens, only mature, egg-laying domesticated ducks are referred to as hens.
Hen and Drake Terminology by Duck Species
Whether a female duck is called a hen or a duck depends on the particular species.
Here’s a look at whether male and female terminology differs across some common domestic duck breeds:
Pekin Duck
Pekin ducks are the most popular domestic duck breed. They have white plumage and an upright carriage.
For Pekin ducks:
– Males are called drakes
– Females are called ducks
So female Pekin ducks are not termed hens.
Mallard Duck
Mallard ducks are wild ducks that are also raised domestically. The wild females are simply called ducks.
However, domesticated female Mallards kept for eggs are often termed hens rather than ducks.
Muscovy Duck
Muscovy ducks are a domestic breed that originated from South America.
For Muscovies:
– Males are referred to as drakes
– Females are called hens
So female Muscovies are not called ducks, they are referred to as hens.
Aylesbury Duck
The Aylesbury is a British domestic duck breed prized for its meat.
For Aylesburys:
– Males are called drakes
– Females are termed hens
Again, female Aylesbury ducks are referred to as hens.
Calls Duck
Calls are a small duck breed that stand erect like penguins.
In this breed:
– Males are known as drakes
– Females are called ducks
So the females are not termed hens.
Cayuga Duck
Cayuga ducks are an American domestic breed that lays black-colored eggs.
For Cayugas:
– Males are called drakes
– Females are known as ducks
Female Cayugas are referred to as ducks, not hens.
Runner Duck
Runners are a lightweight duck breed capable of short bursts of fast flight.
The terminology used is:
– Males are drakes
– Females are ducks
So again, female Runners are not called hens.
Welsh Harlequin Duck
Welsh Harlequins have a unique plumage color pattern.
For this breed:
– Males are termed drakes
– Females are known as ducks
The females of this breed are called ducks.
Rouen Duck
The Rouen duck breed is known for its large size and close resemblance to Mallards.
For Rouens:
– Males are called drakes
– Females are known as ducks
Female Rouens are referred to as ducks rather than hens.
Summary of Hen vs Duck Terminology
To summarize the terminology:
| Duck Breed | Male Term | Female Term |
|---|---|---|
| Pekin | Drake | Duck |
| Mallard (domestic) | Drake | Hen |
| Muscovy | Drake | Hen |
| Aylesbury | Drake | Hen |
| Calls | Drake | Duck |
| Cayuga | Drake | Duck |
| Runner | Drake | Duck |
| Welsh Harlequin | Drake | Duck |
| Rouen | Drake | Duck |
For some breeds like Pekins and Calls, the females are simply called ducks. But for other domesticated breeds like Muscovies and Aylesburys, the females are referred to as hens.
So in summary, not all female domestic ducks are termed hens – it depends on the particular breed. The terminology also differs from wild ducks, where the females are just called ducks.
Origin of the Term Hen for Female Ducks
This brings up the question – why are some female domesticated ducks called hens rather than simply ducks?
The term hen actually comes from chickens rather than ducks. In chicken terminology, a hen specifically refers to a mature female chicken that lays eggs.
The term was adopted for some domesticated duck breeds to also refer to mature, egg-laying females. But it’s not technically the original duck terminology.
Other poultry like turkeys and geese also use the term hen for mature, egg-laying females. So hen became a common term for female poultry kept for eggs.
Some duck breeds have adopted the hen terminology, while others like Pekins and Calls stick with the original duck terms of drake and duck.
Use of the Term Hen in Duckkeeping
When raising domestic ducks, people don’t always stick strictly to the official terminology. For example, female Muscovies are sometimes casually referred to as ducks rather than hens.
Here’s a quick guide on how the terms are commonly used:
– Drake – A male duck of any breed
– Duck – A general term for any female duck
– Hen – A mature, egg-laying female of breeds like Muscovies and Calls
Duckkeepers may use the terms duck or hen interchangeably for females of their flock, even if hen isn’t the technically correct name for that breed. The terms drake and duckling are quite universally applied though.
So in casual duckkeeping, hen is often used as a general term for a mature female duck. But it’s not accurate for all breeds.
Do Wild Duck Species Have Hens?
In wild ducks, the females are not known as hens. The terminology used is:
– Drake – A mature male duck
– Duck- A mature female duck
– Duckling – A young duck of either sex
So for wild duck species, the females are simply called ducks rather than hens.
Some examples:
Mallard
– Males are called drakes
– Females are referred to as ducks
Wood Duck
– Males are drakes
– Females are ducks
Mandarin Duck
– Males are known as drakes
– Females are called ducks
The term hen is not used for wild duck females, only the domesticated breeds.
Conclusion
In summary, not all female ducks are correctly termed hens:
– The term hen refers specifically to mature, egg-laying female domestic ducks.
– It is used for breeds like Muscovies and Calls, but not for Pekins and other breeds where the females are simply called ducks.
– In wild ducks, females are not known as hens at all – they are referred to as ducks.
So only some domestic breeds have hens. It depends on whether the chicken terminology of drake and hen was adopted. Others stick with the original wild duck terms of drake and duck.
The terminology can be confusing, but the key point is that hen does not apply to all female ducks. Though it is often used generically by duckkeepers to refer to any mature female duck.
Hopefully this clears up exactly when it’s correct to call a female duck a hen! Proper terminology varies across duck species and breeds.
