dumb question

["Philip Veerman" <>]

I would not think it is a dumb question. But the answer may be yes it is a Mallard or Nobody knows. Surely it is likely that all Mallards in Australia are derived from long domesticated stock. As with most domesticated creatures, they show great variety, which I would think this one fits in quite well (I wouldn't call it anything other than a Mallard). Having so much chestnut colouring on its side may have no connection with any ancestry from any other species. Whether it is a hybrid with something else, well maybe or even likely. That depends on how many generations back you wish to go. However I'd be confident that if not all but the great majority of its ancestry is Mallard. It could be on the way to making hybrids.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Leggoe [
Sent: Friday, 25 October 2013 6:08 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] dumb question

To most of you, this will be a dumb question, but is this multicoloured duck a mallard or a mallard crossed with something else?  My limited reference material does not illustrate a mallard or shelduck with so much chestnut colouring on its side.  The duck’s companion is a Pacific black duck.  Whilst I saw no overt courtship, they did, like Bonnie and Clyde, do everything together.

Many thanks for any info.

Margaret Leggoe

 

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