[Marysan]

I have several photos of a banded bird first seen at San Diego Wild Animal Park 10-20-02. Because it is banded, means that it is a Park exhibit bird- it could be from anywhere in the world. However, the Park does not have up to date information posted on their exhibit birds. This is a very striking bird and my first impression was that it must be a Merganser of some kind but I haven't yet found a match for it. H-E-E-E-L-P!!! Please. I can post more photos if needed. Thank you very much. This is not a test.

[Stuart]

Its a drake red crested pochard !!!!

Hope that helps, we get them in the Uk a bit, mostly as escape's from collections as they look really pretty.

[Steve]

MARY
This is definately the Mallaganzer, very rare, scientists thought it was a cross between a Mallard and Merganser, but it is a true type in its own right. The only other specimin apart from your pic is, I believe in the Natural history Museam London. I shall report your find to the curator straight away. Do you think you could tape its call?


steve

[Marysan]

Hi Steve,
I don't have the capability to tape it's call and when I was at the SD Wild Animal Park this past Sunday, 10-27-02, the bird in question was nowhere in sight and believe you me, I looked for it scrupulously. I have several photos of this bird. I'll post another one here.

[Stuart]

Mallaganzer.....

[Marysan]

We'll see, Stuart, we'll see. Thank you for your input.

[El Annie]

http://www.rlephoto.com/birds/redcrested_pochard01.htm

comparing Mary's second pic with 'pochard pondering the day' (male) there is a distinct likeness I think.....................

El Annie

[IanF]

I gotta say that it sure looks like a Red Crested Pochard to me too ! I was fortunate to see several in my neck of the woods earlier this year.

[Marysan]

That's a beautiful photo, Ian, really spectacular. The Red-crested Pochard really looks like my bird except for the collar line and the color of the beak. Does anyone know if the beak changes color as does the Ruddy Duck's? I'm going to post another photo where my bird is in the same pose as ElAnnie's "Pondering Pochard" from the net. I think you guys got it if we know about the beak color.

[Marysan]

I have about 9 photos of this bird and the beak is not red on any of them. This is what I found about the Red-crested Pochard's beak at www.cyborganic.com .

"In the breeding male, the head is rusty orange, breast black, sides white, wings brownish and the distinctive bill is red. In eclipse plumage he looks like the female but his bill remains red. The female has a dark brown crown and nape with pale grey on lower face and front of neck. Otherwise, she is dull brown. Her bill is reddish-brown."

What do you all think? I have to leave now, but I'll check back later. Thanks to all for your help.

Bye,
Mary

[IanF]

The bird in your shot is in breeding plumage, but the R C Pochard looks a different bird in eclipse. The plumage and colours in general becomes much more muted and of course the change is gradual. I'm not an expert in such matters, but I'm pretty certain that your bird is a R C Pochard.
The RC Pochard does have a 'coral red' bill, but in the juveniles it is dark grey which becomes red with maturity. The bill looks lighter in your shots, but I was putting that down to the lighting conditions.

[El Annie]

Yes Mary, Your bird definitely has a different coloured beak, do we know if all the pics we have c/o Ian and net are of males?? Maybe it's a simple as red beak = male?? Will do a search for female.....

El Annie

Aha.....

Length 53-57 cm, wing span 84-90 cm. Long, bulky body with a large rounded head. White broad wing-bars. Adult male breeding: Head rusty-orange, breast rear and centre of belly black, white flanks and a striking red bill. Adult Female: Head-sides and foreneck off-white with darker forehead, crown and hindneck cap, plain brown body. Dark grey bill with a pink spot near tip, and brown eye. Male eclipse: Similar to female but retain the red bill. Juvenile: Similar to female, but with all dark bill.

Still looking for a decent picture.....

[IanF]

How about both sexes together - sorry if I stepped on your toes ElAnnie

[El Annie]

Seemingly the female is a paler version of the male with a GREY beak. I reckon yours is indeed a female Red-crested Pochard, this is a pretty good pic of the female:

http://home.eol.ca/~birder/ducks/rcp.html

Mystery solved????

El Annie

[El Annie]

Oh no, not so sure now I've seen you pic Ian

El Annie

[IanF]

Originally posted by El Annie
Oh no, not so sure now I've seen you pic Ian

El Annie

It was just that I took a real fancy to them last Spring after finding them on my local pond. The juveniles look remarkably similar to the females and then gradually change into breeding plumage. I think Marysan's is probably an adult male.
The neck markings do look different depending on the angle of the head. In Marysans shot the neck is lowered and looks squat, but in mine it's raised, but the pattern of markngs is the same. It's still a good catch as they are pretty rare over here. A lot of people don't accept them as 'wild' but I think going by the numbers around nowadays that they have set up a breeding population, ever if they did start off as escapees.

[Marysan]

Ian, if my mystery bird is an adult male it should have a red bill, shouldn't it? Maybe it's a juvenile Red-crested Pochard. Here's another photo not too good but it shows the neck in a different position and a Mallard is in the picture for size comparisom.

[IanF]

I see what you mean about the beak colour, it's certainly not as red as it ought to be. Everything else about it shouts R C Pochard, but you could be right about it being a younster reaching adulthood.
I know that Pochards are more likely to hybridise than other type of duck and that such crossbreeding is not uncommon, especially in parks and reserves. It certainly looks as if it knows that Mallard

[Marysan]

Funny, Ian. Well, I'm satisfied to call it a male Red-crested Pochard and I want to thank you all very much for all your help here; and a special thanks to Stuart who called it right from the getgo. I learned a lot from this discussion. The flash on my Nikon CoolPix775 stopped working this past Sunday and I had to turn it in for repair. Fortunately, I have insurance on it that will cover parts and labor. The store said it may be 2 to 3 weeks before I get the camera back. I feel like I've been grounded but maybe now I'll get some work done around the house.

Thanks again,
Marysan

[IanF]

Originally posted by Marysan
.......... The flash on my Nikon CoolPix775 stopped working this past Sunday and I had to turn it in for repair. Fortunately, I have insurance on it that will cover parts and labor. The store said it may be 2 to 3 weeks before I get the camera back. I feel like I've been grounded but maybe now I'll get some work done around the house.

Thanks again,
Marysan

I'm in the same boat. I just sent mine off to Olympus for a repair as something has dropped onto the inside surface of the lens
It has meant though that I've spent more time on here

[Marysan]

Oops, maybe I won't get that work done! Ian, I have one more question I'd like to ask you before we leave this thread. In my researching the RC Pochard, I've come across the term "in eclipse" which I am not familiar with. Is that just the opposite of "in breeding season"?

Thanks,
Mary

[Colin]

Mary,
'In eclipse' is the plumage that many male ducks moult into after the breeding season. After they have bred in the summer months, a moult takes place which includes the flight feathers. As flying is impaired, these males would be more vunerable to predators than ususal, so the new feathers are much more cryptic, very like the female in many cases. Thus they are more camouflaged during this dodgy period. The next moult sees them return to their finery and ready to woo a female for the next breeding season.


Colin - always in breeding plumage!!!!!

[IanF]

Mary,

Colin gives a superb explanation of 'eclipse plumage' - simply as you say, a Summer (non breeding) plumage. Not all ducks totally change their appearance, but the R C Pochard does !

[Marysan]

good answer, colin. i'm going to store that information away, thanks. i'm typing with one hand becase my other arm is in a cast. i tripped and fell hard in the parking lot at lake murray this morning before my walk. got some bruises and a broken bone. woe is me! no camera and a cast. it never rains but it pores. if you don't hear from me much you know why.

bye,
mary

[Colin]

Mary,
Hope you and your camera will be better soon. I'm sure that there will be something on this website that will keep you entertained while you are temporarily 'out of action'.


Colin