Duck ID

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Birds like these are always some form of escaped or released domestic ducks which vary widely in colour and size. They are either derived from Mallards or Muscovy Ducks. These two are originally very different in appearance but in generation of domestication they have become so variable that it is sometime hard to pick what is what. They are still rather different in shape, mainly about the features of the head and beak (e.g. Muscovy Ducks usually have a peaked head and warty face and it is the Mallards that have the flat bill and curly rump feathers. I don't know about the particular one at issue. It was nice to see Peter Ormay's comment a few days ago about the activities of the authorities to remove these horrible birds from our local waterways some years ago.

 

 

Philip Veerman

24 Castley Circuit

Kambah  ACT  2902

 

02 - 62314041

-----Original Message-----
From: [
Sent: Thursday, 28 May 2009 3:02 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Duck ID [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Hi Anthony, I have noticed a Mallard associating with
Pacific Black Ducks at the northern end of Lake Tuggeranong over the past week
or so as I've been riding along the bike path.  It may be that species.
 The status of this duck, as given in The Canberra Ornithologists Group
Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Australian Capital Territory 
(available at http://www.canberrabirds.org.au/chklst.htm) is "Small local populations of what may well be more
correctly assessed as domestic ducks." 

Regards 

Matthew 
Frawley 


===//===

Seen yesterday afternoon at the northern end
of Lake Tuggeranong; solitary large duck - considerably bigger than Wood or
Pacific Black - mostly black with conspicuous white breast.  We have also
seen it on occasion at the Tuggeranong Park 'beach' with other fowl - and no it
isn't a swan.

Any ideas?

AD