Friday 18 April 2014

Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal

Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 10th February 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton
(photo ID: 0334)


Hybrids between the North American Green-winged Teal and its Eurasian counterpart are occasionally found in both regions.  Some show the prominent white vertical bar of Green-winged Teal as well as the prominent white horizontal stripe of Eurasian Teal whilst others, like this one, show a much weaker vertical bar and others can apparently be even more cryptic.

Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 10th February 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton
(photo ID: 0335)


Steve's bird below also shows both the white horizontal stripe, though perhaps not quite as broad as that of Eurasian Teal, and a vertical "shoulder" stripe not quite as prominent as typical for "American Green-winged Teal.  Steve tells us that the side pattern was more like that of an American bird, but the chest was paler than typical of American birds, more like Eurasians.



Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid, Beebe Draw, Weld County (Colorado, USA), 14th April 2013 - copyright Steve Mlodinow
(photo IDs: 1177-1179)


Here is one where neither stripe is prominent, though I think you can just make out a trace of the vertical line.  Steve also notes the intermediate head pattern and paler sides than normally shown by Green-winged Teal.


Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid, Tuscon (Arizona, USA), 10th December 2010 - copyright Steve Mlodinow
(photo IDs: 2205-2206)


The next bird shows both the white vertical stripe of Green-winged Teal (if weaker than on pure birds) and the white horizontal stripe of Eurasian Teal.


Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid, JCB Lakes, Rocester (Staffordshire, UK), 11th April 2017 - copyright Philip Ridsdale
(photo IDs: 3195-3196)



Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis

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