If you do a Google Image search, you might be surprised to se
Lance,
If you do a Google Image search, you might be surprised to see that every image on the site shows not only a black tip to the bill on Tufted Duck, but there also appears to be a vast difference in the amounts of white on the bill and the shape of the black on the bill. In addition, the photos exhibited by Phil are of such quality that I wouldn't jump to an identification decision based on them. They have been enlarged and are very grainy. The flight shots fail to show most of the field marks. This bird may indeed turn out to be labeled a hybrid, but I'm just saying that I'm not making a hasty identification decision based of the currently presented evidence. AND PERSONALLY, the amount of white on the bill, and the bill shape itself, is less consistent for Ring-necked on what can be seen in Phil's photos than in comparisons to images of Tufted Duck available on the net.
You must remember, illustrations are examples composed by the eye of the illustrator and are not always completely accurate, (and sometimes they are completely inaccurate). Look at the sparrows in the Nat Geo Guide and you'll understand about inaccuracies - I don't think there's an accurate illustration in the entire section. Photos can be altered, yes, but most are often better examples if you look at a large group of them to eliminate or average out individual variations. That's why I often go to a site like Google where there are usually dozens of examples to look at.
Edward Boyd
Westminster, MD
________________________________
From: lance biechele <>
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2009 11:55:37 AM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Tufted Duck Hybrid (?)
Hi Ryan & other birders,
Thank you for your kind respone.
However, if you look at Kauffman's book or even better, "The Audubon
Field Guide to NA Birds, Eastern Region," plates 121 and 122 [there
on the same page] you will clearly see the bill differences I mentioned.
My guess is that the little guy is a Tufted duck X Ring-neck hybrid.
Best wishes,
Lance |