[Ambrosia]

Hi there,

I had a question about a mystery duck I saw in the middle of March this year.

I live near Boston, Ma (about 20 minutes or so), and I have had some pretty good birding experience.

I saw a duck one day that puzzled me. It was in a parking lot, of all places, of my college. The duck was running back and forth under a bush, on one side of a chain link face, making hoarse cries as dogs from the other side were barking at it.

It was coffee - colored, medium size, and had a dull yellow bill. Its feet were orange - pink. It had a light blue patch on its wing, and its coloring was uniform, not mottled, like other ducks.

Does anyone have any idea what this duck might be? I was thinking that maybe it's an immature - a mallard, or maybe blue - winged teal. It's been bothering me for awhile. Thanks!

[Charles Harper]

Female Mallard sounds right, and certainly the most likely.

[KCFoggin]

Hello Ambrosia! On behalf of the Moderators and Admin, welcome to the Bird Forum. I would go with the female Mallard as well. I hope you find some time to tell us about the birds you are seeing in your area.

[Glen Tepke]

Welcome from another Bostonian. There are many domesticated varieties of Mallards that turn up in the wild, including hybrids between wild and domestic varieties. These can look quite different from wild Mallards and can be very confusing but the yellow bill, orange legs and blue wing patch are all signs of Mallard heritage. Glen

[Colin]

The dull yellow bill (was it a sort of greenish yellow and fairly darkish?) would make it a male Mallard and the absence of a green head would suggest that it is in eclipse plumage. The Mallards here in the UK are entering this plumage phase now - just a thought.

Colin

[Glen Tepke]

But wild Mallards are not a uniform, unpatterned coffee color in any plumage; that part of the description is what made me think it was a domesticated variety. Glen

[pauco]

hi
sounds very much like female mallard
bert.

[Ambrosia]

Thank you very much for all your replies! I remembered that the plumage was kind of peachish too, but very light. More coffee - colored, though. It was a pretty color, I remember that, and it was uniform.

I think the bill was medium - colored - not too dark. Mallards are extremely common here - I see them more than any other duck. I've seen Mergensers and Buffleheads a bit, but not as much as the Mallard, definitely.

[Ambrosia]

If anyone has any other guesses, feel free to post. I'll still check this thread. thanks