Oxyura, Brandenburg, Germany... (1 Viewer)

[fabalis]

Hi all,

what is your opinion on this one from Brandenburg? Undertail-cov not white but something like "café au lait"-colored; highly contrasting face-pattern; bill and compact body more like Ruddy duck? No better pics...

 

[Bewick]

You are correctly, definitely a ruddy duck- appears to be female.

 

[Southern Viking]

With the boldness of the head pattern and broadness and contrast of the face stripe, it could be worth considering Argentine Bluebill/Lake Duck whatever it's called these days. They were escaping even when Ruddies were more prevalent and would possibly be a more likely escaped option these days? Structure is obviously not White-headed

 

[Southern Viking]

Admittedly pics 2 and 3 look perfectly good for female Ruddy

 

[fabalis]

Thanx!
A new pic/another shape of the duck in addition

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I think it is very difficult to truely assess this bird from these blurry photos ( no offence meant), as there is the problem also of hybrids and to some extent also the possibility of escapes from other Oxyoa species.
Assuming the bill is seen correctly it seems the bill is more ruddy duck like, but to assess the true head pattern is probably impossible in these photos....
The color of the undertail coverts can also be surprisingly difficult to assess...