Re: ID of Adelphi Pond Duck

Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Sat, 30 Jan 1999 21:31:15 -0500


Barbara -

Whenever you have a pond/lake with a regular population of "domesticated"
ducks ... i.e., fed regularly by people and/or in fairly populated areas,
you typically run into what most of us call "mongrels".  Typically, they
are hybrids and inbreeds of Mallards and domestic ducks (like the white
ones people buy to keep on their farms ponds).  Sometimes, they may
hybridize with other species--domestic (like Muscovys) or wild (like Black
Ducks).

The results are unpredictable, some tend to resemble Mallards and may
develop other features (light or dark), and some can be quite large.  If
you see a curly tail, as Jack implied, that's a good clue that you at least
a partial Mallard (although many mongrels don't have curly tails).

However, always look carefully, since any pond can always pull in a
legitimate wild species, common or unusual.

Hope this helps.

Phil



At 08:48 PM 01/30/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>Thank you!...your description is right on.  JD said he noticed the 
>white duck following the morph around, while I was busy handing
>the kids bread.  That explains why it wasn't in any of the books 
>at the library.  He is beautiful !!!
>Barbara
>_______________________________________________________
>On Sat, 30 Jan 1999 20:01:11 -0500 J L Saba <saba@ari.net> writes:
>>I saw that duck on the winter count. It looks like a mallard (except 
>>for
>>color), and quacks like a mallard (walks like one too). It even has 
>>the
>>curly tail feather seen on male mallards. Eyes, legs, feet and bill 
>>are
>>black. Entire body appeard to have the same irridescent color as a
>>mallard's head, brightest on head and neck, not as bright on the
>>undersides, which appeared dead black when not shining. Wings were
>>irridescent blue/purple (I have trouble distinguishing these colors) 
>>in
>>part. No light colors seen anywhere, although I didn't see all of the
>>underside. It appeared to be mated to the one white duck on the pond. 
>>I
>>had assumed it was some weird mallard color morph. Its shape showed 
>>(to
>>me) no hint of any other species.
>>
>>Jack Saba
>>
>>JD & Barbara wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi MDOsprey,
>>> Family went to the Duck Pond in Adelphi West of Md U.
>>> Saw an irridescent green duck w/ black bill, mallard size.
>>> Anyone ever see it?  Is it a domesticated duck?  Yesterday saw
>>> 60+ Canada Goose and several M/F Mallards.  At Hyattsville
>>> Library  went through all the birding books available with no luck.
>>> Any ideas?
>>> 
>>> Barbara
>>> Riverdale MD
>>

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Phil Davis

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