Dorna Mojab
Well-known member
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Duck ID! Texas (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dorna Mojab
- Start date
Dorna Mojab
Well-known member
nartreb
Speak softly and carry a long lens
Well, certainly not a classic mallard: brown tails, not white.
Not dark enough for American Black Duck, and out of range anyway.
Prominent dark spot at base of bill is good for Mottled, not for Mexican.
Location - east of Houston - favors Mottled.
Speculum shows no white margin -- a strong point in favor of Mottled and against Mexican.
And though we probably shouldn't rely on this from just two photographs, the speculum's blue-purple (not green) iridescence favors Mottled too.
I'm just going from books as I have no experience with Mottled, but this seems pretty clear to me.
Not dark enough for American Black Duck, and out of range anyway.
Prominent dark spot at base of bill is good for Mottled, not for Mexican.
Location - east of Houston - favors Mottled.
Speculum shows no white margin -- a strong point in favor of Mottled and against Mexican.
And though we probably shouldn't rely on this from just two photographs, the speculum's blue-purple (not green) iridescence favors Mottled too.
I'm just going from books as I have no experience with Mottled, but this seems pretty clear to me.
