Tuesday 15 December 2015

Mallard x Mottled Duck

female Mallard x Mottled Duck hybrid (behind, with male Mallard in front), Orleans Parish (Louisiana, USA), 19th April 2015 - copyright Steve Mlodinow
(photo ID: 2239)


Steve draws our attention to the buf face and the dark body plumage on this female.  In addition, he tells us, the tail was entirely brown.

A word of caution when identifying this hybrid - Andy Engilis has been in touch with Steve with regard to one of his Mallard x Mexican Duck hybrids to say that research his team have been conducting is showing that a lot of plumage attributed to hybrids in Hawaiian, Mexican and Florida Mottled Duck are incorrect.  We await publication of this research but in the meantime some caution would be advised.



Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula

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