Duck ID NW England (1 Viewer)

[Neil UK]

Taken at Stanley Park Lake, Blackpool on 06/02/2011.

On another post and another site its been suggested this could be a Red Crested Pochard cross Pintail... anyone else have a suggestion?

Few notable sightings, larger than female Tufties as plenty on the lake, plus larger if only slightly than a female Mallard.

 

[Stew]

Would definitely say RC Pochard x something

 

[phil baber]

Well that's a Pintail type bluey bill, and it looks like a "ghosting" of RCP plumage.

Wonder what Joern will say? :cat:

 

[chris butterworth]

There def. looks like a big chunk of Pintail in there ( along with RCP? )

Chris

 

[Tideliner]

I suspect a pintail x wigeon. The bill looks right for pintail. Cover up the head and the body looks very wigeon like to me.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

Flanks (and body in general)are too uniform for any cross between 2 Anas species.
speculum with a white border but without iridescence indicates it is Aythya/Netta x Anas.

Generally superficial resemblance with RCP, especially typical capped head pattern,
bill pattern pintail-like.

I´d agree from these photos.

For comparison a male of this hybrid:

http://www.ornitho.ch/index.php?m_id=54&backlink=skip&mid=124850

http://www.ornitho.ch/index.php?m_id=54&backlink=skip&mid=124849

 

[MJB]

I suspect a pintail x wigeon.

Would that make it a pigeon?
MJB
PS Wintail doesn't work...

 

[stevethehydra]

Hmm. RCP x Pintail looks like a possibility, but the odd thing if it is that combination is that the bill pattern is that of a male Pintail, whereas the head pattern is that of a female RCP - so the gender of the hybrid is uncertain (then again, as intergeneric hybrids are usually infertile, that might have some effect on sexually dimorphic plumages?).

The other possibility that immediately leapt to mind with the blue bill + head pattern was Puna/Hottentot Teal x something - the "something" would have to be big though, if the hybrid's Mallard-sized or bigger, and rather uniformly coloured (I have seen large "manky"/domestic Mallards with rather uniform, darkish brown colouring very close to this bird). Not sure if a Puna x oversized manky Mallard is a more or less likely cross than Pintail x RCP...

 

[cates]

females or eclipse birds are never easy.