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UK Duck ID Help required (1 Viewer)

I would doubt the Gadwall in this case,
if you go by the pale breast merging into similarly coloured flanks, this can be quite misleading...quite some hybrids of Anas x Aythya can show this...

I think a likely option is Tufted duck x Common Teal, but i don´t think that a definite ID is possible unless we look at DNA or find a similar hybrid with known parentage.
 
See this collage attached for comparison

The tuft on the back of the head is very much common-teal-like,

there is some white at the tail base, indicating common teal parentage (With mallard , pintail or gadwall x Tufted duck or pochard, that area would be black)

the bill pattern of black and light coloured areas is just about the same as in some other teal hybrids (See the example with the mallard x teal)

and then there is the dark scapulars/back area...

Also size does seem to be similar to Tufted duck,so not that big-- it only looks bigger due to the rear end being raised as in dabblers ,not hold low as the diving ducks often do...
 

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OK one final view from a different angle retrived from the trash can.

Interesting to see the different views people have on this one.
 

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Hi Rob,

well ,this is indeed an odd duck. can you say a bit more about size compared to the Tufties? It looks as if that was quite similar to them, but difficult to assess from the photo
 
Hi Joern

This is the photo again but only resized. Taken with a 400mm lens at a distance of approx 16 - 17 metres. ( x8 bino if you prefer )

Thanks for all the time you have taken in trying to solve this little puzzle.
 

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robski said:
Hi Joern

This is the photo again but only resized. Taken with a 400mm lens at a distance of approx 16 - 17 metres. ( x8 bino if you prefer )

Thanks for all the time you have taken in trying to solve this little puzzle.[/QUOTE]


Interesting that the bird is swimming with Tufted Ducks, could be it's affinity is inbred, or just coincidence?

nirofo.
 
robski said:
Hi Joern

This is the photo again but only resized. Taken with a 400mm lens at a distance of approx 16 - 17 metres. ( x8 bino if you prefer )

Thanks for all the time you have taken in trying to solve this little puzzle.

I know there's no real risk in siding with the expert but i think tufted duck x teal seems good- there's got to be some teal in there! The bird in the photo does seem at least the size of a tufted...but with hybrids its not always the case that they're size will be between that of their parents.

Very interesting...though somehow quite annoying that we will never know for certain! I guess that's part of the fun of speculating.
 
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