Mallard hybrid- UK? (1 Viewer)

[HelenJC]

A group of ducks hanging out with the mallards at out local reservoir (Warwickshire, UK) - obviously lots of mallard in them, but is there anything else? Thanks

 

[aeshna5]

Domestic breed of Mallard. No other species involved.

 

[HelenJC]

Domestic breed of Mallard. No other species involved.

Thanks - that makes sense.

 

[Stonefaction]

Small size of head and bill suggests a 'Call Duck'. They are usually a bit smaller than Mallards (as far as I know) but I would guess an adult could easily breed with a Mallard and produce a more 'normal' sized hybrid. Can't tell from the pics what size it actually is (and the grey head does seem 'odd' - there is something Mandarin-like in the head shape in the first pic, but I'd probably expect a Mandarin/Mallard hybrid to show something more exotic looking than just a grey head - but I really don't know enough to justify that perception).

 

[aeshna5]

Small size of head and bill suggests a 'Call Duck'. They are usually a bit smaller than Mallards (as far as I know) but I would guess an adult could easily breed with a Mallard and produce a more 'normal' sized hybrid. Can't tell from the pics what size it actually is (and the grey head does seem 'odd' - there is something Mandarin-like in the head shape in the first pic, but I'd probably expect a Mandarin/Mallard hybrid to show something more exotic looking than just a grey head - but I really don't know enough to justify that perception).

A call duck is a domestic variety of Mallard so will clearly interbreed with wild birds & any progeny are not strictly hybrids.

 

[Stonefaction]

A call duck is a domestic variety of Mallard so will clearly interbreed with wild birds & any progeny are not strictly hybrids.

Maybe I should've put 'hybrid' in inverted commas, as you are correct, but I'm not sure what the correct terminology would be to highlight that one adult is much smaller than the other, as this wouldn't ordinarily be the case to such a degree, in 2 wild Mallards.