canberrabirds

Northern Shoveler mating with a Grey Teal

To: 'Catman Burgess' <>, 'Rodney & Deborah Ralph' <>, "" <>
Subject: Northern Shoveler mating with a Grey Teal
From: Philip Veerman <>
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2020 12:00:22 +0000

I sent the following reply from the server at 8:56 a.m. yesterday. It still does not show. So I am trying again. Apologies if it now comes through twice.

 

How to reply to this one?

 

The answer is clearly no. It is not normal for a Northern Shoveler to

even be in Australia to have access to a Grey Teal. I don't know about

that species but male ducks have a tendency to being randy. Hybrids

generally occur when one individual is isolated and does not have access

to a proper partner. As in this case. To that extent this mistake is

sort of normal (or what can happen when things are wrong). I recall

being informed (there may well be new information since then) that male

ducks don't instinctively recognise females of their species but get

imprinted on what would normally be their mother and chose something

similar. Female ducks do instinctively recognise males of their species

and thus females would tend to regulate correct matings. Even so rapes

do occur. This would be such a case. What I find curious is why this

Northern Shoveler chose a Grey Teal, rather than a far more suitable (I

would have thought) Australasian Shoveler. Let's say it is confused. I

also wonder whether the Grey Teal was a male or female and whether it

simply failed to escape.

 

Philip

 

 

From: Catman Burgess [
Sent: Sunday, 26 July, 2020 6:36 PM
To: Rodney & Deborah Ralph;
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Northern Shoveler mating with a Grey Teal

 

Is that normal for those two mate?

 

Regards Craig 


From: Rodney & Deborah Ralph <>
Sent: Saturday, 25 July 2020 1:42 PM
To: <>
Subject: [Canberrabirds] Northern Shoveler mating with a Grey Teal

 

     
Seen at Jerrabomberra Wetlands on 24 July 2020 the male Northern Shoveler
mating with a Grey Teal.
Photos taken from my movie.

Cheers,
Deb Ralph

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