Bird Hybrids: Egyptian Goose x Mallard

Friday, 7 March 2014

Egyptian Goose x Mallard

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrids, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0246)

A very scarce hybrid, and one that I had not encountered even in photos when I came across this group of 4 hybrids. Two of the birds showed pale wing feathers which probably indicates that the Mallard parent was a domestic type.

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrids (differnt birds from photo ID 0246 above, same flock), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0247)

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrids (same four birds as in photo IDs 0246-0247 above), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 1st September 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0248-0256)

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrids (two of the same birds as in photo IDs 0246-0256 above), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 21st September 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0265-0266)

All four birds were always together when first seen but subsequently sightings became intermittent and no one observation involved more than two birds. These were always assumed to be birds from the original group of four, but the darker-headed birds (presumably males?) had developed more fully dark heads.

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrids, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 23rd February 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0242-0245)

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 24th March 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0267)

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 9th August 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0257-0258)

Egyptian Goose x Mallard hybrid (different bird to one in photo ID 0257-0258 above), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 9th August 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0259-0262)