Joern Lehmhus
Well-known member
At Wold Newton, EAST YORKSHIRE, an Australian x Common shelduck hybrid seems to have bred with a male Common Shelduck (photos thanks to Brett Richards)
At July 10; the young looked like this (on first photo of this series , hybrid mother is in the background):
Now there are two questions:
1. IDENTIFICATIOBN ISSUE: The birds certainly look much closer to Common Shelduck, which was to be expected in a backcross of a hybrid (Common x Australian shelduck) with a Common shelduck.
So do you think they are really backcrosses ?
2. ADULT PLUMAGE of Backcrosses: The hybrid female has raised 7 young shelducks at Wold Newton also in the previous year. They left the pond and nothing is known about their whereabouts, afterwards... They should be rather adult looking now ...
Brett Richards said, he will keep an eye out for any unusual looking Shelducks, but most of the Shelducks at Flamborough are fly-bys. He was told the female hybrid appears at nearby Filey Dams each spring, so they may turn up there. So he will be checking there also. Filey Dams is only 20 minutes from Flamborough. So if anybody has seen a slightly unusual shelduck there , it would be very interesting to know!
At July 10; the young looked like this (on first photo of this series , hybrid mother is in the background):
Now there are two questions:
1. IDENTIFICATIOBN ISSUE: The birds certainly look much closer to Common Shelduck, which was to be expected in a backcross of a hybrid (Common x Australian shelduck) with a Common shelduck.
So do you think they are really backcrosses ?
2. ADULT PLUMAGE of Backcrosses: The hybrid female has raised 7 young shelducks at Wold Newton also in the previous year. They left the pond and nothing is known about their whereabouts, afterwards... They should be rather adult looking now ...
Brett Richards said, he will keep an eye out for any unusual looking Shelducks, but most of the Shelducks at Flamborough are fly-bys. He was told the female hybrid appears at nearby Filey Dams each spring, so they may turn up there. So he will be checking there also. Filey Dams is only 20 minutes from Flamborough. So if anybody has seen a slightly unusual shelduck there , it would be very interesting to know!
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