Duck ID Check - Grangettes on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. (1 Viewer)

[caliboss]

Hello,
Sorting though some photos from 2021 I remembered this picture of a duck seen at Les Grangettes on Lake Geneva in May 2021. I thought it was a male Pochard but was never 100% sure. Can anyone advise please.
Best regards and thanks in advance
Caliboss

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
welcome to birdforum.
No, the choice is between a Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup. Uniform dark (nearly blackish) head and upperparts, contrasting with quite uniformwhie belly is bad for Pochard. They have either a red-brown head in male types and greyer body or a complexer head pattern in female types (hiope rthat helps).

Its a Tufted Duck by:

• just discernable tuft at rear head
• many (at least) female Greater Scaups have a more extensive white blaze around the bill in may.
• head seems not bulky=rounded enough for a typical Greater Scaup

 

[caliboss]

Hello,
welcome to birdforum.
No, the choice is between a Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup. Uniform dark (nearly blackish) head and upperparts, contrasting with quite uniformwhie belly is bad for Pochard. They have either a red-brown head in male types and greyer body or a complexer head pattern in female types (hiope rthat helps).

Its a Tufted Duck by:

• just discernable tuft at rear head
• many (at least) female Greater Scaups have a more extensive white blaze around the bill in may.
• head seems not bulky=rounded enough for a typical Greater Scaup

 

[caliboss]

Many thanks for the help and quick reply. It just looked brown to me compared to the obvious Tufted duck that were also there - so thanks for the ID.

 

[Butty]

the obvious Tufted duck that were also there

They were adult males. This one isn't.

 

[THE_FERN]

Hello,
welcome to birdforum.
No, the choice is between a Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup. Uniform dark (nearly blackish) head and upperparts, contrasting with quite uniformwhie belly is bad for Pochard. They have either a red-brown head in male types and greyer body or a complexer head pattern in female types (hiope rthat helps).

Its a Tufted Duck by:

• just discernable tuft at rear head
• many (at least) female Greater Scaups have a more extensive white blaze around the bill in may.
• head seems not bulky=rounded enough for a typical Greater Scaup

I think it's probably tufted on balance although I find it difficult. I'm pretty sure the "tuft" is actually part of the wall behind. One fat tuftie!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Yes,
thank you, The Fern. The "tuft" is a part of the wall. Its easy to see, afer you mentioned it.
And I agree with you, its still a Tufted Duck

 

[pbjosh]

Hard to judge for sure but my suspicion would be Tufted. Still though with the prevalence of hybrid Aythya in Europe, I frequently avoid trying to be too certain. In a year of keeping my eyes peeled for Ferruginous Duck or anything else here in CH, all of my interesting birds have been either the common species or likely hybrids

 

[caliboss]

Many thanks to all for the comments and help on this identification...