Black-bellied Whistling-Duck x Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck x Fulvous Whistling-Duck hybrid, Moon Lake, Progreso Lakes, Hidalgo County (Texas, USA), 28th December 2016 - copyright Daniel Jones

(photo ID: 2998)

Hybrids between various species of Whistling-Duck seem to crop up quite frequently in captivity but wild-bred Whistling-Duck hybrids seem to be much more unusual.  This bird has the dark chestnut upperparts of Black-bellied with subtle pale tips to the feathers that are intermediate between the two species (plain on Black-bellied, clearly barred on Fulvous).  The dull head, the bill and legs lacking bright colours and the lack of a black belly are all possible on a young Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, but that cannot be the explanation here as the belly is also distinctly orange.  The vent (beneath the tail) is white, like Fulvous, and the black marks on the foreneck also recall those on a Fulvous Whistling-Duck.  Daniel's flight photos also reveal that this bird is missing the pale stripe through the centre of the upperwing that is found on Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck x Fulvous Whistling-Duck hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 2998 above; with Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks), Moon Lake, Progreso Lakes, Hidalgo County (Texas, USA), 28th December 2016 - copyright Daniel Jones

(photo IDs: 2999-3003)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor