canberrabirds

Seeking advice: is the parent bird a hybrid Pacific Black Duck x Norther

To: "" <>
Subject: Seeking advice: is the parent bird a hybrid Pacific Black Duck x Northern Mallard?
From: Mark Clayton <>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:39:40 +0000

I think there is a bit too much hype regarding possible Pacific Black Duck hybridising with feral Domestic Mallards. Obviously it is a major problem in New Zealand but appears to be a very rare event in Australia. Many years ago while I was working at CSIRO the late Dr Wayne Braithwaite and (from memory) Dr Ben Miller did a small study on hybridisation between these two species and found little to  justify the claim. Things may have changed a bit since then but I think it is still a rare occurrence.

To comment on Con's photo, I suggest that it is an adult (female?) Pacific Black Duck with worn and stained plumage. A pity that the wing speculum can't be seen.

Mark

On 28/11/2019 10:19 am, Con Boekel wrote:
This image was captured at Kelly's on 26 November 2019. It was not until I had a good look at the image on the screen that I noticed what I thought might be an unusual tan colour on the parent bird.

It could be the result of water staining, but adjacent Grey Teal did not have the same colour pattern/staining on their plumage.

I assume that bird recorders may have been popping in Pacific Black Duck + 2 ducklings. But could the parent bird be a hybrid?

regards

Con



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