Hybrid Mallard?

[dean1969]

This bird was havested in 2007 season in south western manitoba notice the blue bill on the mallard drake. Interesting.

[cjwink]

Cool.. Looks like the bill of a widgeon.. Any more pics?

[dean1969]

heres the second one.

[deerhunter518]

it has the bill and head shape of a widgeon

[SwampCollie]

Its a recessive trait. Just like blue eyes in people. Just not as common in ducks. Its still 100% mallard.



FWIW.... Wigeon have MUCH shorter beaks. The head shape and beak size/shape are all true to a mallard.

[dean1969]

Yes, it definately has the bill and head of a mallard, thanks for the comments. Dean

[Adirondack Hunter]

he was probly just cold

[Buck_Slayer]

I've seen pics of Mallard/Pintail crosses...and there are many other crosses

[kingvjack]

Ive never seen a crossed duck, I was gonna say it was an old duck, but what swamp said is good enough for me.

[SwampCollie]

ORIGINAL: kingvjack

Ive never seen a crossed duck, I was gonna say it was an old duck, but what swamp said is good enough for me.

Mule Duck!


Here you go... here is a Mule Duck (Mallard/Pintail) (the file was too large to cut/paste into the thread. Note the darker green head, blue/grey bill, red/orange feet, the duck has a sprig, but its curling up like a mallard's tail feathers curl. The duck also has a white neck ring, but as you can see, it sort of starts to run up toward the head like the white patch on a sprig would. This one isn't really a pretty specimen. I've seen them with grey feet also. They are actually extremely pretty.

There was a thread up in the taxidermy section of the duck hunters refuge. One of the bigtime bird taxi's in the country posted up some of the hybrids from his collection. He had Woodies/pintails, buffleheads/goldeneyes, Cinnemon Teal/Bluewing Teal, Bluewing teal/ shovelers, Mallard/redhead, mallard/gadwall (brewers duck). Really neat stuff.