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Re: Tufted Duck - Cambridge - Choptank River , 1/6/09

From:

Michael Bowen

Reply-To:

Michael Bowen

Date:

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 07:07:27 -0500

The Collins Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe has informative 
pictures and text for a number of duck hybrids, including Tufted x 
Ring-necked Duck and Tufted x (Greater) Scaup.  I have the UK 
edition, but I believe the content of the Princeton University Press 
version is identical.

Mike Bowen
Bethesda



At 06:01 PM 1/6/2009 -0500, Nancy Martin wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>Jim is right that carefully taken notes or photos will be of great 
>value in ruling out all possible hybrid combinations. Documented 
>hybrids exist for Ring-necked and Lesser Scaup (possible contender 
>for Tufted Duck ID although a tuft would be lacking), Tufted and 
>Greater Scaup, Tufted and Lesser Scaup, and Ring-necked and Tufted.
>
>I must however point out that some green reflection on a 
>predominantly purple head is not necessarily a sign of 
>hybridization. Iridescent feathers have no pigment, they are black 
>feathers whose structure reflects light in certain wavelengths. 
>Heads that predominantly reflect green wavelengths can occasionally 
>reflect in violet to purple (look carefully at male Mallards or Wood 
>Ducks in bright sunlight), and heads that usually reflect purple to 
>violet can show occasional flashes of dark green at some light 
>angles (carefully watch a Lesser Scaup or Ring-neck in bright sun).
>
>The other characters Jim cited are very useful for interpreting 
>hybrids. Notes on iridescence should describe the intensity of 
>reflected color and what the predominant (and if possible the minor) 
>reflected color is on the bird.
>
>Good birding,
>
>Walter Ellison
>
>23460 Clarissa Rd
>Chestertown, MD 21620
>
>410-778-9568
>
>Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every 
>time you take a walk.
>
>
>
>Jim Stasz wrote:
>>
>>Hi Folks!
>>
>>Just a word of caution: Hybrid. There are documented Tufted Duck X Lesser
>>Scaup. Is the back a solid black without vermiculations? Is the 
>>dark tip of the
>>bill wider than deep? Is the head sheen always purple and never 
>>green? Is there a distinct white line at the rear edge of the dark 
>>bill tip? A GOOD SERIES OF PHOTOS WILL BE NEEDED.
>>
>>Good Birding!
>>
>>Jim
>>
>>Jim Stasz
>>North Beach MD
>> (mailto:[log in to unmask])
>>**************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is 
>>making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)
>>
>>
>>
>
>D.H. Michael Bowen
>8609 Ewing Drive
>Bethesda, MD  20817
>Telephone: (301) 530-5764
>e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom