Wood Duck x Mallard

Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids, Petaluma (California, USA), 31st January 2012 - copyright Matt Brady

(photo ID: 2125)

Joern has combined his extensive experience and drawing skill to provide a handy plate showing some of the variation that can be seen in this hybrid.

male Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids, based on different males from Spain, Switzerland, Germany and North America - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(illus. ID: 0758)

None of the birds above show a white vertical line at the side of the breast such as is found in drake Wood Ducks, but the next one does...

Wood Duck x Mallard hybrid, Radipole Lake (Dorset, UK), 17th March 2016 - copyright Philip Ridsdale

(photo IDs: 3096-3098)

Not content with just the males, Joern has also done a nice plate illustrating variation among females of this hybrid:

female Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(illus.ID: 0759)

Joern has also had an opportunity to study juveniles of this hybrid in captivity.  First off though, here is a male, presumably in eclipse plumage.

captive male Wood Duck x Mallard hybrid, Germany, end of August 2008 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo ID: 0780)

And here are the juveniles at different times

captive juvenile Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids (with Wood Duck in last photo), Germany, end of July 2008 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0776-0779)

captive juvenile Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids (with Wood Duck in last photo), Germany, end of August 2008 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0781-0785)

By the end of September these juveniles had acquired much of their adult plumage, as shown in the following photos.

 captive first-winter Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids (with Wood Duck in last photo), Germany, end of September 2008 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0786-0791)

Stephen reported one drake Wood Duck x Mallard hybrid accompanied by two unidentified females (one of which is shown below, the other apparently being similar).  The female compares well to the ones Joern has illustrated and photographed so I think it's safe to say they are also Wood Duck x Mallard.

Wood Duck x Mallard hybrids, Fishers Green (Essex, UK), 28th December 2014 - copyright Stephen Prower

(photo IDs: 3183-3185)

Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos