Re: ID of Adelphi Pond Duck
JD & Barbara (e-tbird@Juno.com)
Sun, 31 Jan 1999 08:56:59 -0500
Phil, that does help...I used to have a couple of white ducks long time
ago when you
could buy them at Murphy's at Easter Time. So the "Morph Mongrel's"
offspring won't be like them, or they might be in part. Wouldn't that be
a motley sight....
Thanks very much!
Barbara
BWH #20256
___________________________________________________
On Sat, 30 Jan 1999 21:31:15 -0500 Phil Davis <pdavis@ix.netcom.com>
writes:
>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
>>>
>
>================================================
>Phil Davis
>
>home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville,
>Maryland USA
>work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt,
>Maryland USA
>================================================
>