Bird Hybrids: Dendrocygna bicolor

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

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

Wednesday, 9 April 2014

White-faced Whistling-Duck x Fulvous Whistling-Duck

captive White-faced Whistling-Duck x Fulvous Whistling-Duck hybrid, Pensthorpe (Norfolk, UK), 9th March 2014 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 1546)

This bird was among Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, although there were White-faced Whistling-Ducks in another part of the collection. The pale patch behind the eye was the most immediately obvious feature separating it from the accompanying Fulvous Whistling-Ducks. Although this appears to extend further back than it does on White-faced Whistling-Duck the transverse barring on the flank feathers and pale subterminal band on the bill indicate that species was involved. Although several species could theoretically have contributed to the overall fulvous colouration and whitish streaks on the flanks, the white uppertail-coverts support the most likely contender, Fulvous Whistling-Duck.