I'm on the side of the Grey Tealists - for me, the head is too square,
the beak too short and not quite tapering enough, the neck is not as
thin and long in any of the photos as I would expect. As Ed mentioned,
the eye is also the wrong colour. A major point for me is that while
the tail does look pointed, the pattern of how the feathers are arranged
looks wrong - in Northern Pintails, the central tail feather is clearly
longer, while this looks quite different. I think it's just the lack of
flight feathers that's really accentuating the tail.
Overall, I'd say Grey Teal.
As Nikolas said, hybrids are well-studied in northern ducks, but new and
interesting ones are always popping up as ornamental ducks escape and
start interbreeding. If I wanted to be facetious, I'd ask if there were
any free-roaming Yellow-billed Pintails in the area, as the plumage and
tail are a little similar...
Cheers,
Tony
On 04/05/2012 09:30, Nikolas Haass wrote:
Hi all,
I am also one of these Northern Hemispherians, who have seen tens of thousands of
Northern Pintails in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Confirming others, neither
jizz, plumage colour nor bare part colour "make it" a Northern Pintail or any
of the other pintails. The jizz clearly indicates one of the teals - the only ID
contenders are Grey Teal, Sunda Teal or Chestnut Teal and - if you want to stretch it -
Cape Teal. To me the bird still looks like a Grey Teal.
The infamous "H" word is however not so infamous in Anas, Aythya, Anser and
Branta. However, most Northern Hemisphere hybrid combinations appear to be well-studied
and I cannot find any that looks that similar to Grey Teal as David's bird. As so often,
the Southern Hemisphere is not so well covered in many studies. So, I still can't rule
out a hybrid 100%. But again, I still think it is a Grey Teal.
Cheers,
Nikolas
----------------
Nikolas Haass
Sydney, NSW
________________________________
From: Robert Inglis<>
To: Birding-Aus<>
Sent: Thursday, May 3, 2012 9:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Help with ID on a duck please
With reference to David Taylor’s very interesting question about the ‘strange’ duck he
saw on the University of Queensland campus out there at Gatton in the Lockyer Valley in SE Queensland (an
area which was devastated by, unprecedented in white man’s time, floods last year) I would like to
ask a question with the following context in mind.
Although I have been birdwatching for nearly 40 years I have never come to grips with moult. Although I have been
photographing birds for most of that time and some of the most expert people in Australia have been very patiently
trying to educate me in the understanding of moult I seem to be too dumb (or too old) to take it all in.
I’m tempted to give those people names but I really shouldn't embarrass them so I won’t. But I say
to them “Don’t give up.” I love youse all.
Anyhow..........
The question is:
Why is David Taylor’s ‘strange’ bird not a Northern Pintail female undergoing moult of
the primaries and, possibly, the secondaries – as has been suggested?
Is it because it is in Queensland? (Oh, that is facetious, Bob and should be
struck from the records).
I have not yet seen a pintail of any description so I am clutching at straws here but I have consulted
“Wildfowl” by Steve Madge and Hilary Burn as well as HANZAB (we all know what that is, don’t
we?). Having done so it seems to me that there is a possibility, small though it might be, that David, et all, has
found something very ‘interesting’.
Why isn’t David’s bird a Northern Pintail female undergoing moult of the
primaries and, as it has been suggested, the secondaries?
In asking this question, I am hoping that those birders who have had extensive
experience with observing Northern Pintails will respond. After all, the majority of
Australian birdwatchers with experience of northern hemisphere birds come
from...............the northern hemisphere. At least that is my observation. A few
Australian boundary-ed birdwatchers probably only see one or two Northern Pintails in
their entire life. As I said, I haven’t seen any and I confine my observations
to the mainland of Australia.
I realize the shortcomings of digital photography (having been involved with it for 11 years) and therefore I
understand why David’s images vary in the colours of the plumage of this bird but, understanding those
technicalities, I can see, as David saw, that this bird is ‘different’ to the average Grey Teal. My
initial reaction was that it is always wise to not look for a rarity and to simply look for an aberration when
observing something which looks ‘different’. My experience at that location is that the common ducks
include Grey Teal so that is what I initially advised David . However, further consideration encouraged me to
suggest that this bird might, only might, be something else.
As I read it, David’s bird might have a rufous wash over the head and the iris
might be somewhat different in colour to that of Grey Teal. If so that could indicate
Northern Pintail female.
Not Northern Pintail juvenile as the plumage is quite different.
In the course of education (of me in particular) I would like those birders who have
had experience with Northern Pintail females (from an observer’s point of view)
to come forward and voice an opinion.
Is that too much to ask?
Please understand that I am not being critical of anyone but simply wanting to
ensure that an opportunity is not missed.
I don’t mind if I am proven to be way of track here.
A ‘proverb’ from the latest book I am reading “In advising a friend, seek to help, not
please”. (The good Book – a secular bible- by AC Grayling)
Bob Inglis
Sandstone Point
Qld
http://www.photos-n-guides.com/ (my new and expanded website – still a work in
progress so please forgive the errors and omissions)
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