Re: [cobirds] Re: Mexican Duck ID question (Pleasant View Marsh, Boulder Cty)

[Thomas Heinrich]

Thank you David and Caleb for your replies to the question of
Mallard/Mexican/hybrid ID!  I appreciate your insight, observations, and
the discussion of details to note when considering IDs of this sort.   I've
had a couple other replies off-list both in support of Mallard x Mexican
hybrid as well.  They mentioned the curled upper tail coverts and light
tail feathers being indicative of hybrids with Mallards, both in Mexican
and Mottled Ducks.

I have photos of another likely Mexican x Mallard somewhere in my photo
archives taken several years ago that I'm curious to have another look at
now.

Thanks again!

Thomas

On Sun, Oct 25, 2020 at 6:34 PM David Tønnessen 
wrote:

> Thomas, Caleb,
>
> Yes, as pointed out in a Facebook discussion earlier today, the bird
> appears to be a hybrid (albeit more Mexican looking than your average F1).
> The black uppertail coverts, as well as whitish rectrices and curling are
> indicative of Mallard genes, and in some photos the tertials appear
> gray-tinged as well (another Mallard trait). Pure Mexican Ducks also
> typically pop out as pretty dark, which this bird didn't to my eye in
> comparison to female Mallards it was photographed with (albeit still
> slightly darker). Still, a very cool bird with great discussion to be had.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> David Tonnessen
> Colorado Springs, CO
>
> On Sat, Oct 24, 2020 at 9:58 PM Caleb A  wrote:
>
>> Hi Thomas!
>> I'll start with a disclaimer: I'm not an expert on Mexican Ducks.
>> The reason I'm putting in a word is because I remember learning from a
>> waterfowl presentation that Mallard ducks (both sexes) and Northern
>> Shovelers are the only dabbling ducks that have white tail feathers. Since
>> Mexican Duck is not either Mallard or Northern Shoveler, a pure Mexican
>> Duck should *not* have white tail feathers. I do agree that this bird
>> looks to have Mexican genes. The bill and head look consistent with
>> Mexican, but the tail looks more Mallard to me. I'd suggest this is a
>> Mexican x Mallard, although I'm eagerly awaiting the experts to weigh in on
>> this one. Great photo!
>>
>> *The birds are happy, and so am I*
>> *~Caleb Alons, Larimer County*
>>
>> --
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>> "Colorado Birds" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
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>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/c3ad1830-2d24-4933-8845-136f6a1cbb34n%40googlegroups.com
>> 
>> .
>>
>
>
> --
> *David Andreas Tonnessen*
> Student @ CU Boulder
> cell: 719-309-8572
>
> Explore eBird  and iNaturalist
> , citizen science databases.
>
> --
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> 
> .
>


-- 
Thomas Heinrich
Boulder, CO
teheinr...@gmail.com
www.pbase.com/birdercellist

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Mexican Duck ID question (Pleasant View Marsh, Boulder Cty)

[David Tønnessen]

Thomas, Caleb,

Yes, as pointed out in a Facebook discussion earlier today, the bird
appears to be a hybrid (albeit more Mexican looking than your average F1).
The black uppertail coverts, as well as whitish rectrices and curling are
indicative of Mallard genes, and in some photos the tertials appear
gray-tinged as well (another Mallard trait). Pure Mexican Ducks also
typically pop out as pretty dark, which this bird didn't to my eye in
comparison to female Mallards it was photographed with (albeit still
slightly darker). Still, a very cool bird with great discussion to be had.


Cheers,

David Tonnessen
Colorado Springs, CO

On Sat, Oct 24, 2020 at 9:58 PM Caleb A  wrote:

> Hi Thomas!
> I'll start with a disclaimer: I'm not an expert on Mexican Ducks.
> The reason I'm putting in a word is because I remember learning from a
> waterfowl presentation that Mallard ducks (both sexes) and Northern
> Shovelers are the only dabbling ducks that have white tail feathers. Since
> Mexican Duck is not either Mallard or Northern Shoveler, a pure Mexican
> Duck should *not* have white tail feathers. I do agree that this bird
> looks to have Mexican genes. The bill and head look consistent with
> Mexican, but the tail looks more Mallard to me. I'd suggest this is a
> Mexican x Mallard, although I'm eagerly awaiting the experts to weigh in on
> this one. Great photo!
>
> *The birds are happy, and so am I*
> *~Caleb Alons, Larimer County*
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Colorado Birds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/c3ad1830-2d24-4933-8845-136f6a1cbb34n%40googlegroups.com
> 
> .
>


-- 
*David Andreas Tonnessen*
Student @ CU Boulder
cell: 719-309-8572

Explore eBird  and iNaturalist
, citizen science databases.

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[cobirds] Re: Mexican Duck ID question (Pleasant View Marsh, Boulder Cty)

[Caleb A]

Hi Thomas!
I'll start with a disclaimer: I'm not an expert on Mexican Ducks.
The reason I'm putting in a word is because I remember learning from a 
waterfowl presentation that Mallard ducks (both sexes) and Northern 
Shovelers are the only dabbling ducks that have white tail feathers. Since 
Mexican Duck is not either Mallard or Northern Shoveler, a pure Mexican 
Duck should *not* have white tail feathers. I do agree that this bird looks 
to have Mexican genes. The bill and head look consistent with Mexican, but 
the tail looks more Mallard to me. I'd suggest this is a Mexican x Mallard, 
although I'm eagerly awaiting the experts to weigh in on this one. Great 
photo!

*The birds are happy, and so am I*
*~Caleb Alons, Larimer County*

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