What is going on with this Mallard? - Pennsylvania (USA), 21 February (1 Viewer)

[birdmeister]

Hello all,

Another odd waterbird that I'm posting here. This Mallard was very unusual in that it had a female-type body but glistening green head and bright yellow bill. I thought that an "intersex" bird and/or older female (is that the same?) would show some green on the head and a muted male pattern through the body. Unfortunately these are the only two images I got. Is it possibly a molting imm. male?

 

[etudiant]

Mallards will happily mate with anything, including dead ducks, a feat recognized by an IgNobel prize.
I'm not able to say which species collaborated for this one, but the Mallard portion shone through.

 

[nartreb]

Not a hybrid and not intersex. Perfectly normal male mallard, with some nonbreeding plumage on the body.