Many duck owners don’t understand how these birds change their gender. Ducks can change their gender depending on their situation For example, if a female duck is at the risk of losing the only functioning ovary, then there’s a high chance that it might turn into a male after losing it. But did you know that some duck species have the ability to change their biological sex If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question Yes, some duck species can change gender under certain conditions
Find out how and why wild and domesticated birds change sex, including the curious story of marigold the duck. But to understand why female ducks can start reverting to a male appearance, it's important to realise that their sex determination system is reversed compared with mammals. This is, in essence, the gender change that sometimes happens in ducks A sudden loss or precipitous drop in estrogen leads to the development of male sex organs which will produce testosterone. Ducks cannot change their gender in the same way some other animals can However, some female ducks can develop male characteristics due to hormonal imbalances, usually caused by an ovarian dysfunction
