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Common Teal X what ??.........U.K. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter magpiemick
- Start date
Clive Watson
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit ampheta
That's a bit better than a record shot, not too bad at all. I have to say it looks like just a Teal to me, the 'mixed' feathering due to it being a male, presumably 1st-winter, moulting into its summer plumage. Or am I totally off track?
magpiemick
Well-known member
Clive Watson
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit ampheta
Yes, I see what you mean, the barring on your bird is much coarser. Structurally it looks no different from a Teal though. Not sure what could have caused that, I'll have to check a few books I think.
Fast_falkon
Dutch birder
i agree with nick, just a teal coming a little later
Cristian Mihai
Cristian Mihai
I would also say Male Teal (not full breeding plumage).
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
I don't get what you mean. Coming into breeding plumage from...what other plumage? It's not coming out of eclipse, as that isn't eclipse plumage. It's not any normal plumage for teal to have that wide vermiculation pattern. Structure does look a bit off to me too - more square-headed - but that's maybe just posture. It might just be an unusually-patterned Teal, but it doesn't look like a 'normal' Teal.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
If it isn't eclipse plumage it's coming out of then it's a first winter bird, are you honestly saying you've not seen teal looking like this? There are tons of them looking like this in the Autumn.
Here's a link:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/domducks.htm
Attachments
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
Now I'm getting into this more, yes, Poecile, the vermiculations don't correspond with what you'd expect at first glance, but bear in mind that these old feathers will be worn and tatty and are already translucent, these transitional plumages go through many degrees. Don't think a hybrid theory sits comfortably as I can't see any other species in it.
http://www.pbase.com/image/77379631
http://www.pbase.com/image/77379633
I'm afraid I'm not fluent in fancy words to describe its plumage, but I just see a teal here.:t:
http://www.pbase.com/image/77379631
http://www.pbase.com/image/77379633
I'm afraid I'm not fluent in fancy words to describe its plumage, but I just see a teal here.:t:
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
Look at the bird again, and your picture. Your picture has female-type spangled feathers, not wide barring like the one at the top of the thread. They're not the same. Female and eclipse male teal are streaky on the flanks, not barred. It doesn't matter how old the bird is (1st winter or not), I've never seen a Teal with wide barring like that. It does look like it's moulting, as you can see patches of normal vermiculations, but whatever it's moulting out of, it isn't normal eclipse or juvenile plumage imo. And what about the odd ventral bit under the tail? That's not right either.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
I see a Teal too, not a hybrid. I just think it's aberrant, and not 'normal'.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
I agree that some of the wide vermiculations are bizarre, looking more black and white than female type or juvenile brown. I'd say a state of moult that is a bit off normal but within the realms of possibility. I think if we looked at all moulting ducks a bit more closely, a good percentage would seem aberrant. At the same time as there being a few anomalies here, there is a great deal that is normal too.
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
This has nothing to do with eclipse plumage...
The strange pattern of the flank feathers is something you sometimes see in intersexes of duck species of genus Anas.
I think it is in between the pattern of the female and the fine black and white vermiculations the males have on their flanks.
So this could be an intersex Common teal;
however, the head shape of your bird also looks slightly odd...before I give a final vote i´d like to see more photos.
The strange pattern of the flank feathers is something you sometimes see in intersexes of duck species of genus Anas.
I think it is in between the pattern of the female and the fine black and white vermiculations the males have on their flanks.
So this could be an intersex Common teal;
however, the head shape of your bird also looks slightly odd...before I give a final vote i´d like to see more photos.
magpiemick
Well-known member
Re Joern's point re Anas intersexes generally, here's a photo of a presumed Mallard intersex showing similar coarsely vermiculated flanks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/2233626838/
Joern & others have already commented on this bird in another thread (http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=103326&highlight=fugl),though not specifically about the flank patterning which which has always puzzled me (and which I am now glad to have had finally cleared up).
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
What I mean is what I try to show with the attachment , this pattern not occurring in all intersex mallards or pintals though
magpiemick, what is still odd in your bird is the shape of the green head patch and the relatively pale cheek and slightly darkish crown giving a slight resemblance to baikal teal or baikal teal hybrids... but I see nothing else in the bird to support that, so probably just odd looking Teal due to being an intersex...
magpiemick, what is still odd in your bird is the shape of the green head patch and the relatively pale cheek and slightly darkish crown giving a slight resemblance to baikal teal or baikal teal hybrids... but I see nothing else in the bird to support that, so probably just odd looking Teal due to being an intersex...
Attachments
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
well that's something I've learnt today, cheers Joern.
magpiemick
Well-known member
Thanks everyone very interesting indeed......
Very different from the vermiculations on my bird, I see, so I guess we're back to square one in its case. Oh well, still an interesting and informative thread.
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