Headed for the Lake Erie Shoreline after work this morning and here is what I saw.....
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| Pied-billed Grebe |
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| Black-crowned Night Heron |
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| Double-crested Cormorant |
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| Wood Duck |
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| Northern Pintails |
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| Tree Swallow |
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| Hermit Thrush |
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| Bluegray Gnatcatcher |
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| Not a dead duck laying in debris pile |
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| Rather a duck laying on eggs |
Unless I am really missing something here, your duck is a Black DuckxMallard Duck hybrid. The clean line on the neck separating the pale head and dark body are consistent with Black Duck. However, the green streaking on the crown and eye-line are consistent with Mallard.
ReplyDeleteBiologists have concerns here. The Black Duck genes, while represented here, are compromised. In the end, Mallard genes will trump them. There are concerns with the extinction of the Black Duck as a result of this mating. It happens that much!
But something else is amiss here....
ReplyDeleteThe bird is incubating and shows a dark bill. It is a girl. (Duh.)
So why does it have green flecks on the noggin like a male?
Hmmmm.....
Notice that I didn't ID it in the caption. I ran the photo past Allen Chartier and he mentioned a possibility of some domestic genes being involved.
ReplyDelete