Shoveler Hybrid +??? Spain (1 Viewer)

[Black Wheatear]

Attended Andalucia Bird Society field meeting at Fuente de Piedra today and we are all a bit non-plus with the pictured Shoveler/Hybrid or is it a hybrid???

Be interested to hear opinions on what fellow forumers think.

Peter

 

[McMadd]

Oz Shoveler a contender?

http://photogallery.canberrabirds.org.au/images/Shoveler_Australasian2_Hansch.jpg

 

[Black Wheatear]

Oz Shoveler a contender?

http://photogallery.canberrabirds.org.au/images/Shoveler_Australasian2_Hansch.jpg

Yes that's a thought we had, but the breast was uniform colour that matched the flanks, so kinda discounted that avenue, with the New Zealand sub species also looked at!

Peter.

 

[Tib78]

I'd say it's indeed a hybrid. I'd say either Shoveler x Cinnamon or Shoveler x Blue-winged.
Shoveler x cinnamon seems perhaps more likely with that breast colour, but I don't know whether the white crescent at the bill base is normal for that combination or not.

If I remember correctly, all the shoveler x cinnamon I have seen had lighter breast contrasting with the flanks, like this one:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/discuss/72157601790654095/?search=shoveler

A presumed Shoveler x Cinnamon showing the white crescent:
http://www.azfo.org/gallery/noshXcite.html

 

[jmepler]

I was thinking either Blue-winged x Shoveler or Blue-winged x Cinnamon, more so the latter.

The white hip patch and crescent point strongly to a Blue-winged Teal and the flank coloration looks more like a Cinnamon Teal.

Mike

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Shoveler x cinnamon seems perhaps more likely with that breast colour

That was my thought as well.

CB

 

[Tideliner]

its hard to be sure from that photo , but i suspect a New Zealand shoveler rather than a hybrid. I would have expected and blue wing \ cinnamon hybrid to have a smaller bill. see link http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2383009440098027679YNJwsE

 

[Black Wheatear]

Thanks everyone, whatever it is an interesting bird with some leading lights emailing with Australian Shoveler as being 'more' likely than hybrid. Example of messages from down under:

"Interesting bird. Structure/Shape are spot on for Australian Shoveler, but the rufous flanks are very extensive and very bright! Head colour looks a bit strange too. If I had to put money on it I would go for Aus Shoveler but I suspect some genes from Red Shoveler from S.America?? which would be on the cards if it has absconded from some collection. It is a very interesting bird. Look forward to updates. Funnily enough there is a vagrant Northern Shoveler in Melbourne at the moment".

Peter

 

[Tib78]

To me, this bird is very unlikely to be a pure Australian Shoveler:
-uniform bright rufous flanks and breast (with no hint of dark blotch)
-very obvious white crescent
-extensive white patch to the rear

The bill doens't look particularly big to me, Shoveler x Blue-winged normaly shows a bill structure somewhat intermediate (and probably same goes for Shoveler x Cinnamon).

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

To me, this bird is very unlikely to be a pure Australian Shoveler:
-uniform bright rufous flanks and breast (with no hint of dark blotch)
-very obvious white crescent
-extensive white patch to the rear

The bill doens't look particularly big to me, Shoveler x Blue-winged normaly shows a bill structure somewhat intermediate (and probably same goes for Shoveler x Cinnamon).

shoveler x cinnamon is a good fit on general coloration and structure, but the head coloration worries me a bit- there seems to be some reddish coloration near the white crescent? (That would be a head pattern fitting better to bluewinged x cinnamon)


I can not see the iris colour. shoveler x cinnamon have red, orange or yellow iris, while shoveler x bluewinged teal have dirty yellow to dark brownish or blackish iris.

another thing: in shoveler x bluewinged the patch at the rear flanks is white, while in shoveler x cinnamon the patch is often whitish with slightly reddish-brown colour tinge (but can be white).

so more photos would be helpfull