Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid, Lahti (Finland), 1st June 2007 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2490)

Henry says the green gloss on the head seemed to vary by light conditions - more so than is shown in his excellent photos.  He also notes that the secondary coverts were white as in Eurasian Wigeon, which he says is a common feature in Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrids he has seen.

 Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 2490 above; with Eurasian Wigeon), Lahti (Finland), 1st June 2007 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2491-2494)

Joern's plate below shows three examples giving just some of the variation in head pattern that is seen in this hybrid.

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrids - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(illus. ID: 0726)

Henry's bird above is closest to the bottom bird in Joern's illustration, though not quite as purely green-headed.  His next one though is more like Joern's top bird.  There are three sets of photos from winters 2008/09, 2007/08 and 2004/05, likely involving the same returning bird (though Henry says that in the most recent winter it showed a shorter tail and a little brown in the flanks).  Henry remarks that this bird behaved like a Wigeon.

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid, Helsinki (Finland), 13th March 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2473-2478)

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid, Helsinki (Finland), 13th March 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2462-2467)

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid (with Mallards), Helsinki (Finland), 25th February 2005 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2468-2472)

Henry's brother Harry Lehto also photographed this bird (here) and notes almost non-stop Wigeon-like surface feeding and aggresiveness both towards and from drake Mallards.

The next bird was discovered by Mike Buckland and each time I've been along to have a look it's been quite easy to find among a flock of Eurasian Wigeon.

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid (with Eurasian Wigeon), Stiffkey (Norfolk, UK), 27th November 2016 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 2848-2855)

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid (with Eurasian Wigeon; same bird as in photo IDs 2848-2855 above), Stiffkey (Norfolk, UK), 18th December 2016 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 2856-2858)

Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrid (with Eurasian Wigeon; same bird as in photo IDs 2848-2858 above), Stiffkey (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2017 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 2859-2862)

Joern has written about Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrids in the German magazine Aves.  The text is in German but non-German speakers may still be interested as it's accompanied by a couple of photos of Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrids.  You can access the PDF of Aves 2 (2011) - the article starts on page 21 with section 3 on this hybrid beginning at page 22.  The photos labelled Abb. 6 and Abb. 7 are Eurasian Wigeon x Mallard hybrids.



Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos