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'Crested Duck' can mean:-

★ A domestic breed descended from the mallard: described below.

★ A wild species ''Lophonetta specularioides'': see Crested Duck.
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The crested duck has its appearance because it is heterozygous for a genetic mutation causing a deformity of the skull. As a result, when a pair of crested ducks breed, the young sort out in the usual 1-2-1 ratio:-

★ 25% are homozygous for the normal allele of this gene and so have no crest and if bred together their offspring will never have a crest.

★ 50% are heterozygous for this gene and hatch with a crest of varying sizes.

★ 25% are homozygous for the crested allele of this gene and die from exposed brain without hatching, as it is lethal in homozygous form.
If a crested duck and a non-crested duck breed together, the resulting ducklings would be expected to be 50% crested and 50% non-crested.

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External link

External link

★ http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Crest/BRKCrestedDucks.html