Duck hybrid-France (1 Viewer)

[Tib78]

One for Joern

I would lean towards Pintail x Wigeon, but I am not sure. Any opinion welcome.

 

[DaveN]

I'm leaning towards Pintail x Mallard but like you say....'one for joern' I think.

 

[lou salomon]

looks like pintail x wigeon to me as well.

 

[ian hamilton]

im tending to go for pintail x gadwall.

 

[Dave Hall]

Hi My guess would be Pintail X Gadwall

 

[Tideliner]

A tricky one , but its legs are pale with a possible hint of pinkish \ orange ruling out wigeon x pintail. Both pintail, and wigeon have grey legs. I cant really see any gadwall there , but the legs and green sheen on the head suggest mallard x pintail . I have seen mallard x pintail with the pinky buff chest , but they have all had a thin white ring. I would also expect the scapular feathers to be broader. On balance I suspect its mallard x pintail but if its origins were from a waterfowl collection , then any number of the mallard type ducks could be part of the cross

 

[bitterntwisted]

Where's Joern? I can't help thinking there might be some Gadwall in the mix, but Mallard and Pintail look good candidates too. Mallard x Pintail is usually a prettier creature than this... http://www.charliesbirdblog.com/~charlie/mankymallards/mall_nopi_D4213.jpg

Graham

 

[Tib78]

Mallard x Pintail is usually a prettier creature than this... http://www.charliesbirdblog.com/~charlie/mankymallards/mall_nopi_D4213.jpg

Indeed, I don't think it's a Mallard x Pintail hybrid as they normaly are slenderer, longer-billed, with a contrasting white collar and very "mallard-like" tertials, like the one you have linked...

Hybrids are so variable however, have a look at this individual Pintail x Mallard(shot by some hunters):
http://www.dixielandcalls.com/trophyroom/pinallard_large.jpg

Almost a perfect Mallard except for the bill, the 2 curled up upper-tail coverts typical of mallard doesn't look so curled, and there is also that black patch close to the scapulars. 2nd generation hybrid???

I have seen only few Pintail x Wigeon hybrids, but they had a mix of glossy green and yellow colour on the head, like this one:http://waarneming.nl/waarneming/view/41662083?lang=en&local=nl

Now on very close inspection, there seem to be a yellow tinge on the back of the crown....

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Hi, I think this bird is a very difficult one...

lets start in short with what it can´t be (at least i think so):

It can not be Pintail x Mallard, without white neckring.

It can not be Pintail x Wigeon, with this tertial shape, and no yellowish brown areas in the face.

Gadwall x another species is excluded for me as they show either a plain greyish face (Gadwall x some american or eurasian wigeon) or a capped face pattern (gadwall x some wigeon or american wigeon, Gadwall x Pintail, Gadwall x Shoveler, or some Gadwall x mallard, but as far as i know never a head coloration like this.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I am thinking there are however elements of Mallard x Pintail and Mallard x Wigeon in this bird. Compare with these photos:

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard (a variant of this hybrid with a rather uniformely colored head):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33236701@N07/3455279495/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33236701@N07/3455280961/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33236701@N07/3455280009/


Mallard x Pintail:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/discuss/72157601826994185/

If you combine the features of these two hybrids in one bird, I think you might get the bird Tib found.
However, such a bird would be mega-rare in the wild--so I assume this is a bird of captive origin? any signs of that ?

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Slightly off topic:

The Mallard x Pintail you linked Tib, is also in my opinion most likely a backcross to mallard, see for example tail locks and breast coloration..

some other hybrids:

This bird here in my opinion is also Pintail x Wigeon, but with more black in the face than the Dutch one Tib linked:

http://www.magikbirds.com/image.asp?title_id=903&show_thumbnails=True

it mirrors a variant head pattern also shown in Pintail x American wigeon:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/discuss/72157610947291315/



And here is the typical head pattern of Gadwall x Pintail, very different:

http://www.pbase.com/image/91466045


And here shoveler x gadwall:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30418455@N00/480756253/

 

[Tib78]

Thanks a lot everyone for the input, and a special thanks to Joern of course.

Unfortunately, I am not the finder (otherwise I would have taken more than 2 pics of that puzzling bird...). I took this bird from a French forum.

Joern, I think you are right to assume this bird is from captive origin: the way the pictures are taken makes me believe it is not very wary (in France, wild ducks are usually VERY wary, especially during the hunting season). I will try to get more infos from the observer, unfortunately, he is not a regular poster on the french forum so I am not even sure to get an answer. If anything new comes up, I'll let you know.