I have a couple questions about birds I got pictures of. See them all at www.picasaweb.com/hytenjr There are also a couple older files there that may be of interest as well.
Thanks, Bob
Thanks, Bob
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
FLORIDA BIRDS March 2015 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter hytenjr
- Start date
I thought it looked a bit like a mockingbird but it seemed much smaller that those I see here in Illinois. Also this one was of a much more brownish grey than what I thought was the usual grey. I later got more pictures looking exactly like this one (same size and color) at spot about 15 miles away. I've got too find a local birder to help me recognized subtle variations.
DarkFireFalcon
Well-known member
7 is probably a Mallard x Mottled Duck hybrid, as Mallard's are only in eclipse plumage in the last summer.
15 looks to be a Ring-billed Gull
17 is a female Mallard.
As for the mockingbird, the birds you see in Florida should look exactly the same as the ones in Illinois. They are definitely the same size in Florida as the rest of the continent. The color differences you saw could be attributable to a bit more fading from the bright winter sun, or just seeing it in an unfamiliar place.
15 looks to be a Ring-billed Gull
17 is a female Mallard.
As for the mockingbird, the birds you see in Florida should look exactly the same as the ones in Illinois. They are definitely the same size in Florida as the rest of the continent. The color differences you saw could be attributable to a bit more fading from the bright winter sun, or just seeing it in an unfamiliar place.
DarkFireFalcon
Well-known member
Black Ducks don't really occur in Florida, and are quite similar looking to Mottled Ducks. Someone probably suggested American Black Duck because that's what they were more familiar with. Hybrids are quite common between Mottled Ducks and Mallards in Florida, to the point where pure Mottled can be hard to find in many areas. The two species are very closely related. The hybrids aren't considered separate species themselves.
Last edited:
