Aythya - Madeira (1 Viewer)

[Ilya Maclean]

Any thoughts on the attached? Photographed at Lugar de Baixo on Madeira on 3rd of January. Striking sub-terminal bill band for a tufty and resembles a juv ring-necked moulting to 1st winter, but would have thought ring-necked duck would start to show a few more of the classic features by Jan.

Tufty and ring-necked are both rare vagrants on Madeira

 

[SteveClifton]

I personally don't see any Ring-necked Duck influence. Bill structure looks perfect for Tufted to me. They can show well developed bands on their bills-quite a variable species!

 

[Southern Frogmouth]

I personally don't see any Ring-necked Duck influence. Bill structure looks perfect for Tufted to me. They can show well developed bands on their bills-quite a variable species!

I agree, it is a Tufted Duck. Structurally it isn't a RND and it lacks plumage features I would expect to see on even a juv RND like the obvious eye-ring. I also don't see any obvious hybrid influence.

Cheers

Roy

 

[Ilya Maclean]

Thanks - confirms what I thought. I just wanted a second opinion as tufted duck is probably the rarer of the two on Madeira and it does resemble a bird seen in Cornwall a few years ago, that was deemed a ring-necked duck http://www.gobirding.eu/Photos/RingneckedDuck.php.

 

[Southern Frogmouth]

Thanks - confirms what I thought. I just wanted a second opinion as tufted duck is probably the rarer of the two on Madeira and it does resemble a bird seen in Cornwall a few years ago, that was deemed a ring-necked duck http://www.gobirding.eu/Photos/RingneckedDuck.php.

I can see what you mean although the Cornish bird is approximately three months younger (1st Oct) and so I'd expect RND traits to be more obvious on the same bird by January.

Cheers

Roy