unusual Shoveler duck (1 Viewer)

[eye]

unusual Shoveler duck, UK

there's an unusual Shoveler duck that turns up at my WeBS count occasionally (Greater London, UK, park location). i first saw it last year late summer iirc, and again today. the duck is a female type Shoveler with a very distinct white eye ring. when i first saw the duck i thought i'd wait to see if i saw it again, incase it had been doing something unusual in immature/eclipse moult. but today i think i saw the same bird. today it was on its own, feeding like a typical Shoveler, but not associating with two Shoveler ducks also on the lake.

does anyone know of a possible hybridisation that could cause this feature, or an 'exotic'/captive bird that it might be? failing that could it be an individual mutation?
are there any known cases of a Shoveler x Mandarin hybrid?! or (more likely?) a Shoveler x Laysan hybrid (it has that kind of white eye ring)?

i've scrolled through various online photos and websites, to no avail as yet.
sorry no photo.

thanks in anticipation e

 

[Nutcracker]

I'd guess an individual mutation, or perhaps more likely, some scarring after an injury. Is there an eye ring round both eyes, or just one?

Do try to get a photo, it will help a lot :t:

PS welcome to Birdforum!

 

[eye]

thanks Nutcracker

yes, the white eye ring is symmetrical/around both eyes and identical on each side.

i'll try and get a photo next time i see it - my mobile phone camera wasn't up to the job today

 

[Stourvalleywatcher]

What about a female Cinnamon Teal, they look similar to female Shoveler but slightly smaller.

 

[eye]

thanks Stourvalleywatcher - that's a very pretty bird

but not my duck she was the same size as a normal Shoveler, with the very distinct Shoveler bill.

the white eye ring was more extensive than on the Cinnamon Teal so that possibly rules that duck out as part of her ancestry...