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White duck - Stavanger, Norway, March 2023 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter AndyS56
- Start date
Welsh Peregrine
Well-known member
Certainly a Domesticated Mallard of some variety.
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
It is not a Pekin duck -wing size to body size is more like wild mallard. In Pekin duck and other large domestic breeds the wings are proportionally too small´, as wing size didn´t grow at the same rate as body size in the domestication process.
But it is most likely that this has domestic duck genes, as other mallard color mutations. However, you'll never be able to exclude a color mutation of a wild mallard or a wild x domestic mallard cross from a photo, if the birds body proportions are like in wild mallard.
Given the scarcity of color mutations in other, non domesticated ducks , I would say the vast majority of color abberations in mallard is due to domestic duck genes.
But it is most likely that this has domestic duck genes, as other mallard color mutations. However, you'll never be able to exclude a color mutation of a wild mallard or a wild x domestic mallard cross from a photo, if the birds body proportions are like in wild mallard.
Given the scarcity of color mutations in other, non domesticated ducks , I would say the vast majority of color abberations in mallard is due to domestic duck genes.
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Hi Andy, I think I saw a couple of these on Store Stokkevannet on Sunday, and as others have already said I noted them as domestic ducks. I’ve not seen them in that spot before though, although a mandarin duck was there in the past. If this is the same location then keep looking because as well as the more usual species I’ve also seen little grebe and rail at very close distance from the bridge so it’s a spot worth checking where you can get close to lots of nice wild birds.
