I saw this duck today in Nara on our local pond.
Is it just a Tufted Duck female with both the white bill base and the white rear which some have (though I couldn't see any sign of a tuft)? Or is it a female Greater Scaup? Or could it be some kind of cross?
The feature that's bugging me is the black of the back coming down to the base of the duck forming a significant border between the white rump and the paler side panel. In my books (photo and drawing) the paler (than the back) side-panel continues to the white rump with no black section in between.
Is it just a Tufted Duck female with both the white bill base and the white rear which some have (though I couldn't see any sign of a tuft)? Or is it a female Greater Scaup? Or could it be some kind of cross?
The feature that's bugging me is the black of the back coming down to the base of the duck forming a significant border between the white rump and the paler side panel. In my books (photo and drawing) the paler (than the back) side-panel continues to the white rump with no black section in between.