USA Are these all mallards? (1 Viewer)

[heronfreak]

Are these all mallards. Kenoza Lake Haverhill, Mass.

 

[Microtus]

Yes

 

[heronfreak]

Yes

Thanx Microtus.

 

[Nutcracker]

Yes

Isn't the middle bird a hybrid Mallard x Black Duck? Reduced curl in the upper tail coverts, and overall pattern somewhat resembling a Black Duck; too dark overall for a normal eclipse male Mallard as well.

 

[birdmeister]

Isn't the middle bird a hybrid Mallard x Black Duck? Reduced curl in the upper tail coverts, and overall pattern somewhat resembling a Black Duck; too dark overall for a normal eclipse male Mallard as well.

Agree with Nutcracker for sure, Mallard x Black Duck.

 

[Microtus]

Agree with Nutcracker for sure, Mallard x Black Duck.

I've come around to that view too.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

yes the middle bird is a male hybrid looking closer to American black duck that to mallard , but it has half a tail curl, a rather reddish brown breast and a dark-capped head pattern where there seems also a very weak green head gloss visible- all indicating some mallard genes

 

[lmans66]

So how do you list your hybrid bird? Mallards and Black ducks frequently mix...?

 

[YuShan]

So how do you list your hybrid bird?

Personally I never list hybrids because they are not a species. For the same reason I never list feral pigeons. However, I can see that the occurrence of hybrids can be quite interesting to track.

 

[Nutcracker]

.... For the same reason I never list feral pigeons....

Except feral pigeons are not hybrids, they're the same species as Rock Dove, just domesticated variants that have gone back to living in wild conditions again. So (in UK) they're as 'tickable' as Pheasants or Little Owls or Egyptian Geese

 

[raymie]

The middle bird is a Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid, the other two are pure Mallard.

 

[nartreb]

Yep, looks good for a first-generation cross.

 

[YuShan]

Except feral pigeons are not hybrids, they're the same species as Rock Dove, just domesticated variants that have gone back to living in wild conditions again. So (in UK) they're as 'tickable' as Pheasants or Little Owls or Egyptian Geese

OK, hybrids is the wrong word. They are just selectively bred/ domesticated. When in the future I see a feral dog I will tick it off as a wolf

 

[Nutcracker]

.... When in the future I see a feral dog I will tick it off as a wolf

But how often do you see a genuine feral dog, which is not just someones' pet running loose? Don't think I ever have, at least not in UK.

 

[YuShan]

But how often do you see a genuine feral dog, which is not just someones' pet running loose? Don't think I ever have, at least not in UK.

I was bitten by one in India and had to be treated for rabies. There is so much garbage lying around that they have plenty to eat and can easily survive on their own. Also, when I lived in Taiwan and cycled at night in the mountains I was often chased by groups of them, which was rather scary at times.

Being bitten and chased by wolves sounds a lot cooler than feral dogs, so I will use the new definition from now on