Varieties of Duck

There are so many species of ducks (scores of them) and hybrids made by crossing one breed with another, it’s almost impossible to trace the lineage of the ducks we eat. It seems, however, that all domestic ducks are descendants of one of two species, the mallard and the muscovy duck. The mallard is a common wild duck—the male is easily identified by its metallic green head and neck—and, when shot in the wild, has a delicious flavor. I’ve tasted domesticated mallards but found them tough and lacking the flavor of their wild relatives.