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Mystery duck (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jmorlan
- Start date
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Its got a high crown like a Ring-necked Duck but the flanks are wrong.
So best guess is either Lesser Scaup or.... yes you guessed it, a hybrid..
So best guess is either Lesser Scaup or.... yes you guessed it, a hybrid..
I'd tend to think it's a Lesser Scaup too.
cuckooroller
Registered User
jmorlan said:
Joe,
One thing for sure, this is not in genus Accipiter!!
B
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
I´d have thought this is a hybrid?! the vermiculations on the back seem to be to fine for Lesser Scaup and isnt it a bit dark on the back also?
It is definitely no Tuftie (No tuft and head profile wrong).
What about A. collaris X affinis?
Jörn
It is definitely no Tuftie (No tuft and head profile wrong).
What about A. collaris X affinis?
Jörn
Ranger James
Well-known member
I was thinking lesser scaup, but had the same question with the grey. Could possibly be a product of the lighting?
James
James
mountain man
Guest
A bird just like this is illustrated in Collins.
I think, without having a copy on me, that it is captioned as Tufted male x Pochard female hybrid.
A pic with the bill on would help if there is one.
I think, without having a copy on me, that it is captioned as Tufted male x Pochard female hybrid.
A pic with the bill on would help if there is one.
Michael Frankis
conehead
I'm thinking possible Ring-necked x Lesser Scaup too - but a view of the bill is probably essential to get it sorted
Michael
Michael
Carson
Well-known member
Joseph, what did you think? Did you see him move his head?
We have lots and lots of both species of scaup here, and Ring-necked Ducks are common. They hybridize in the books, but I have not seen a hybrid here. Can't speak for California, though.
Tom, hybrid Tufties x Pochards don't commonly show up in California! That would be some rare duck! ...And I'll have to surrender Tuftie on the shape of the head. I thought the photo might have fooled me on that, but I suppose not. Anyway, you folks would know!
However, Joern, I'm surprised you add in the tuft itself as a criteria in the photo. Scarce as Tufties are here, I've often seen perfect males, in positions like this one, showing not a trace of their tuft--even though in fact it was a nice long one.
Maybe North Pacific Tufties use more gel?
Guess I'll have to reluctantly buy into the scaup x Ring-necked Duck. Greater Scaup, then; that's a lot of white; and he sure didn't get it from the Ring-necked side of the family. Hm. Could be back-bred too. I'm not sure that I agree about the bill being essential: if it were a scaup bill, you'd be about where we are now; if it were a Ring-necked bill you'd be about where we are now. I suppose that's why I really didn't want to go for that domed head. I was trying to angle it from the camera in such a way that it wasn't domed. Oh well....
But tell us what you think, Joseph. We'd like to hear your California take on things.
We have lots and lots of both species of scaup here, and Ring-necked Ducks are common. They hybridize in the books, but I have not seen a hybrid here. Can't speak for California, though.
Tom, hybrid Tufties x Pochards don't commonly show up in California! That would be some rare duck!
...And I'll have to surrender Tuftie on the shape of the head. I thought the photo might have fooled me on that, but I suppose not. Anyway, you folks would know!However, Joern, I'm surprised you add in the tuft itself as a criteria in the photo. Scarce as Tufties are here, I've often seen perfect males, in positions like this one, showing not a trace of their tuft--even though in fact it was a nice long one.
Maybe North Pacific Tufties use more gel?
Guess I'll have to reluctantly buy into the scaup x Ring-necked Duck. Greater Scaup, then; that's a lot of white; and he sure didn't get it from the Ring-necked side of the family. Hm. Could be back-bred too. I'm not sure that I agree about the bill being essential: if it were a scaup bill, you'd be about where we are now; if it were a Ring-necked bill you'd be about where we are now. I suppose that's why I really didn't want to go for that domed head. I was trying to angle it from the camera in such a way that it wasn't domed. Oh well....
But tell us what you think, Joseph. We'd like to hear your California take on things.
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Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
Hi Carson,
maybe thats possible, I don´t know what brand of gel a Tuftie in your area would use...
But when I watch Tufties in Europe, from this angle the head shape is wrong; it is rounder in Tufted duck. And in general you should at least get a hint of the tuft feathers in this position even if they are flattened against the head-
I had proposed Ringnecked duckx Lesser Scaup (collaris x affinis) in my previous email..
maybe thats possible, I don´t know what brand of gel a Tuftie in your area would use...
But when I watch Tufties in Europe, from this angle the head shape is wrong; it is rounder in Tufted duck. And in general you should at least get a hint of the tuft feathers in this position even if they are flattened against the head-
I had proposed Ringnecked duckx Lesser Scaup (collaris x affinis) in my previous email..
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
I know what you meen...weell ...Aythya ...
Carson
Well-known member
WAIT a second! Folks, enlarge that picture of Joseph's up VERY big! Make it fill the screen! (Joseph, that's nice photography. It's really sharp.)
Okay, now, everybody: take a very careful look at the front end of that pure white side. Look! There's the diagnostic Ring-billed vertical white slash! That duck is a pure Ring-billed Duck!!! [Edit: sorry: I meant, Ring-necked Duck.]
The sides are NOT pure glistening white! THAT'S what was wrong! They are just reflecting the sunshine. That's why you can see that mark at the front. The sides are actually very pale pearl gray. It is a perfect Ring-necked Duck.
That's what was bothering me.
Comments???
Okay, now, everybody: take a very careful look at the front end of that pure white side. Look! There's the diagnostic Ring-billed vertical white slash! That duck is a pure Ring-billed Duck!!! [Edit: sorry: I meant, Ring-necked Duck.]
The sides are NOT pure glistening white! THAT'S what was wrong! They are just reflecting the sunshine. That's why you can see that mark at the front. The sides are actually very pale pearl gray. It is a perfect Ring-necked Duck.
That's what was bothering me.
Comments???
Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
Maybe about the white, but the back is gray, not black and that doesnt fit to Ringnecked Duck
Joseph, do you have another pic? Or did you see it in another pose than this?
Joseph, do you have another pic? Or did you see it in another pose than this?
Carson
Well-known member
The back is in the California sun too, Joern! There's nothing wrong with it. I know you want ink-black, but not in that light. If I were to leave this computer right now, in six or seven minutes I could be feeding this fellow's identical twin some grain! Hm. I was just going to compare it to the black of a crow, but my crows and your corvids are not the same! Anyway. Um...what shall I do, go and grab one and mail him over there?
Edward woodwood
Member
Extemely difficult (impossible really) from one pic but it could certainly be a RND...it has the tail too. More than that....
er wouldn't have thought a poch hybrid either
defo not a Poch x Tuftie
might have some LScaup in there but so hard to see with the light and hybrid ducks are very rare remember (in relative terms)....
er wouldn't have thought a poch hybrid either
defo not a Poch x Tuftie
might have some LScaup in there but so hard to see with the light and hybrid ducks are very rare remember (in relative terms)....
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Edward woodwood
Member
Yes of course it could well be, probably is, but not totally 100% conclusive for the folks above obviously hence the debate.......
