DODGY DUCK ID Oxford UK (1 Viewer)

Musoman

PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter

• Aug 13, 2017

• #1

This oddball duck was shot at Oxford's Otmoor RSPB on Saturday last and kept us guessing as to its ID

Looks like it could be an eclipse, but of what ? Its too big to be a Tufted, and so could it even be a hybrid ?

This fellow has a very dark or even black-ish beak, and pale legs

Couldnt get anywhere near it due to the hide being so far from the island it was sat on, even with the lens at full 600mm. IQ is poor due to those factors

 

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A

AlinoVegano

Well-known member

• Aug 13, 2017

• #2

Mallard (feral)

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Aug 13, 2017

• #3

Domesticated breed Mallard :t:

 

Musoman

PETE - Nikon/Sony Shooter

• Aug 13, 2017

• #4

Thanks folks

Very strange, as i've seen hybrid mallards before but they've always kept their yellow beaks

Could it be a female ?

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Aug 13, 2017

• #5

Musoman said:

Could it be a female ?

Click to expand...

Could be but all bets are off when it comes to domestic breeds. Did it have a curly tail?

 

S

stevethehydra

Well-known member

• Aug 14, 2017

• #6

This is a common "type" among Mallard populations with domestic ancestry - could probably be called a "colour phase" or similar if not ultimately derived from selective breeding. This one looks like a female of the type - males usually have a green head like "normal" male Mallards and tend to have more reddish plumage on the rest of the body, females are blackish brown apart from the white bib. The curly tail feathers are usually present in males of all Mallard types and never in females.

 

J

janet0

New member

• Aug 25, 2017

• #7

It is a little bit odd. I cannot figuir it out.

 

C

Cinereous

Well-known member

• Aug 25, 2017

• #8

These are crossbreed domestic ducks... It's mostly black colouration indicates they're part Black Cayuga (an American domestic breed)... There's probably utility Aylesbury duck in there too along with others... Domestic ducks (excluding Muscovy's) cannot fly or if they do they fly badly because of their weight distribution... If these are able to fly that would indicate wild Mallard is also part of this cross.. All domestic ducks (excluding Muscovy's) are technically Mallards because they were all wild Mallards once...

 

Last edited: Aug 26, 2017