To the above and others who have raised eyebrows.
Before posting the message, I
1) grilled the observers, 2) investigated the possibility of an escape, 3)
investigated possibility of a hybrid.
The observers considered that the bird so exactly resembled the picture of
Baer's Pochard in Robson's 'Birds of SE Asia' that it could not be a hybrid.
However, Fred only saw the bird sitting on a rock which may be why he didn't
broadcast his find until others saw it. Tom & Gordon had a similar
experience but also saw it standing up, flapping it's wings, swimming and
diving. Both obtained photographs.
Wildfowl collection experts advise there is no chance it's an escapee.
The possibility of aberrance seems remote.
Could it be a hybrid? Having searched but not yet having seen the bird
(****) or the photos, in my opinion the jury is still out on this. After
all, Baer's Pochard resembles a cross between a Chestnut Teal and a
Hardhead! A hybrid between these species, in spite of the fact that one is a
dabbler and the other a diver, is not impossible. I'm told that a Chestnut
Teal and a NZ Scaup at a collection in Canberra produced a young that
looked to be half & half! Moreover, an aberrant Hardhead in the Broome area
a few years ago might have been a cross between a Grey Teal and a Hardhead.
It is also suspicious that in March, there was a more than usually
green-headed Hardhead at Werribee (occasional birds have a partially green
gloss), which for a while, was seriously considered a potential Baer's
Pochard (Richard Loyn pers. comm.).
The bird was on the same rock again this morning (****). Apparently most who
saw it are convinced it's a Baer's Pochard but some, well at least one, who
saw it less well, is not convinced. Again, the bird kept to itself and swam
into some reeds where it remained hidden. Probably where it was yesterday!
We should have looked in the reeds instead of scrutinising the other 20,000
waterfowl! Perhaps the other birds recognise it as 'odd' and give it a hard
time.
As we learn more, I'll keep you posted.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mt Eliza VIC 3930
Ph: (03) 9787 7136
Email:
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