London, UK - 12/10/23. What duck is this? (1 Viewer)

[louisk]

Seen in St James's Park, London - I can't match it to any duck on Bird-id.net! Is it some hybrid? Or just a juvenile something?
Such a beautiful pattern on its back

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Chiloe Wigeon, a South American species, part of the collection rather than a wild bird.

 

[Butty]

A species designed by God to look like a hybrid.

 

[louisk]

Chiloe Wigeon, a South American species, part of the collection rather than a wild bird.

Ah thanks, I thought it looked wigeony! Do you know if they're able to fly away and choose not to, or are somehow held captive? The former is allowed in my count by the rules me and birding pal are following 😁

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Louis,

welcome to Birdforum!

It seems like your duck is wing-clipped and therefore the primaries of the right wing are missing. In an unclipped bird, both wingtips are crossing like scissors above the tail.
Depended on the method used, the wing grows again after the moult in summer and the duck is able to fly again. In others (clipping including the shaft???) the loss of the flight feathers is permanent.

But there are other members here, that can shed more light on the wildfowl in London parks. And there are more threads here on BF about birds, ID and the status (even of individuals. Wow! Thanks!).

 

[THE_FERN]

Hello Louis,

welcome to Birdforum!

It seems like your duck is wing-clipped and therefore the primaries of the right wing are missing. In an unclipped bird, both wingtips are crossing like scissors above the tail.
Depended on the method used, the wing grows again after the moult in summer and the duck is able to fly again. In others (clipping including the shaft???) the loss of the flight feathers is permanent.

But there are other members here, that can shed more light on the wildfowl in London parks. And there are more threads here on BF about birds, ID and the status (even of individuals. Wow! Thanks!).

think they surgically remove part of the wing for permanent "clipping".

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

think they surgically remove part of the wing for permanent "clipping".

Yes , that is pinioning.

Pinioning - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But that is not allowed everywhere and for every species any more... don´t know the laws in UK concerning that.

personally , where it is necessary to make a bird flightless, i prefer if it is done by feather clipping, because that is not permanent.
However, one has to check carefully feather regrowth because such birds suddenly could take flight again...

I think that was the case in several pelicans flying free in western Europe and in the red-crowned crane female, that produced offspring with a male grey crane in germany

 

[delia todd]

Hi Louis and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.