Ruddy Duck?. (1 Viewer)

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Jul 14, 2003

• #1

I took this pic of a pair of ducks on my local gravel pit yesterday, they were gone this morning. Berkshire.
The pit has no islands so is usually devoid of ducks other than GC Grebes, Tufties, Coot and Moorhen.
The Birds were about the same size as mallards. The Bill was a very pale Blue/Grey.
I have never seen a Ruddy duck, but suspect that this is what they are.
Can anyone confirm or correct my suspisions?.

 

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Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• Jul 14, 2003

• #2

I'm afraid they're not pure Ruddies. I've never heard of a Ruddy X Mallard cross. I suspect it is unlikely but you never know! It may be some domesticated Mallard and Pintail - the proportions, especially the tail, look right for Pintail parentage

Darrell

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jul 14, 2003

• #3

Nope, not Ruddies. They look like escaped White-cheeked Pintails (Anas bahamensis), a South American duck often kept in duck collections.

Michael

 

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Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• Jul 14, 2003

• #4

Hi Michael - 'course they are - whenever someone shows me a duck I don't immediately recognise I go into hybrid mode. At least I got the Pintail bit right

Darrell

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Jul 14, 2003

• #5

Michael Frankis said:

Nope, not Ruddies. They look like escaped White-cheeked Pintails (Anas bahamensis), a South American duck often kept in duck collections.

Click to expand...

Micheal

Many thanks for clearing that up!.

I've still not seen :storm: a Ruddy Duck then!.
Oh well!.

 

MarkHows

Mostly Mammals

• Jul 21, 2003

• #6

Go to Staines Reservoir during the winter there will be loads of Ruddies there then.

Mark

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Jul 21, 2003

• #7

Thanks Mark.

May do that as I work near Sunbury X.

 

jeff

Well-known member

• Jul 22, 2003

• #8

but will there be loads this year?
Aren't they still being culled?

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 16, 2004

• #9

Hi Alan,
sorry for digging out this old thread,
but there seem to be some inconsistencies with whitecheeked pintails, so it might be really the best to go into hybrid mode...

the main thing: white cheeked pintail should have an all light brown tail, not darker middle feathers as these birds show.

also the size of whitecheeked pintail is slightly smaller than in mallard.

Do you by any chance have some more pics?

Jörn

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Aug 16, 2004

• #10

Joern Lehmhus said:

Hi Alan,
sorry for digging out this old thread,
but there seem to be some inconsistencies with whitecheeked pintails, so it might be really the best to go into hybrid mode...

the main thing: white cheeked pintail should have an all light brown tail, not darker middle feathers as these birds show.

also the size of whitecheeked pintail is slightly smaller than in mallard.

Do you by any chance have some more pics?

Jörn

Click to expand...

Jörn

Sorry no. The camera I had at the time was less than 0.5 Mp. I am reasonably sure that they were white cheeked Pintails as a pair were seen on a nearby river this spring in their summer plumage and a red base to the bill!.

 

erizzo

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2004

• #11

Alan,
Well I can tell you, that is not a pure White Cheeked Pintail beacause the white gets up to the top of the bill on a normal one, but this one has the white just up to the bottom of the bill. But It could be a hybrid. IT MUST BE
Good luck.
Have you seen a Ruddy yet??? If not I hope you do

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2004

• #12

erizzo said:

Alan,
Well I can tell you, that is not a pure White Cheeked Pintail beacause the white gets up to the top of the bill on a normal one, but this one has the white just up to the bottom of the bill. But It could be a hybrid. IT MUST BE
Good luck.
Have you seen a Ruddy yet??? If not I hope you do

Click to expand...

erizzo
I have not seen them since I took the photo, they may have ben Juveniles?.
But I have since seen Ruddy Ducks and they cannot be mistaken for these birds!.

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2004

• #13

Hi Alan,
Also juvenile A. bahamensis would show a light cinnamon brown tail and more white on the cheeks
-I only found a pic of an adult on the web-but the light rearend and tail are very characteristic-

http://www.geocities.com/nadeaucl/gccanabaha.htm

well, we´ll have to leave it at the hybrid conclusion then.

Jörn