Morning Bird Pic, Eh?

[sleigh]

At the park in St. Catherine's, Denise and I saw several waterfowl. Here's one: A duck that Birdsnap identifies as an American Black Duck -- though, as we know, Birdsnap identifications are sometimes untrustworthy...

Comments

[maiac.livejournal.com]

I would have guessed that's a juvenile Mallard, because of the patch of green on its cheek. All About Birds (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_black_duck/id), however, tells me that Black Ducks have yellow bills, vs. gray/orange bills on Mallards.

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

Yeah -- I went to All About Birds, too, and saw the same about the bill color. So... American Black Duck, maybe.

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

Mallard. The green feathers on the face are a big clue there. The bill color is right for a Mallard too. Female Mallards don't have this color of yellow bills but males do and the green tells us that this bird is a male even though it isn't in full breeding plumage. The warm brown/chestnut color on the flanks points toward Mallard as well. American Black Ducks are more evenly dark.

All that being said, Mallards and American Black Ducks do hybridize. I don't see any reason to think that this one is a hybrid though.