Mystery Duck, Italy (1 Viewer)

[igorfest]

Dear friends,
these images about a strange duck seen recently appeared in an italian birding forum.

Entries about the bird's identity included a female Mallard and, more realistically, an escaped Silver Teal (Anas versicolor).
Given the fact that the misterious teal has a mainly red bill-base, and that Silver Teal has, at the contrary, a mostly yellow bill-base, I think it could be something different.

The only species of duck with red on the bill are the aptly named Red-billed Duck and the White-cheecked Pintail. The first one has a mainly red bill with a black saddle on the upper mandible, while the second one has the same patternshown on the photographs, that is a big red saddle incircled by dark grey borders...

I think it could be a White-cheecke Pintail, but what do you think about it's wing pattern (whith bold white bars) and about the lack of a long "tail"...?

Thanks,
Igor Festari, Italy

 

[peterarras]

Hi Igor,
this duck on the picture is a pure Anas versicolor!
Cheers
Peter.

 

[James Lowther]

Hi Igor,
bill base looks yellow to me, not red. the rest of the bill is blue. I think it is a silver teal.
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images/thumb/6/6a/Silver_Teal.jpg/550px-Silver_Teal.jpg

definitely not red-billed duck
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images/thumb/9/98/Red-billed_Duck.jpg/550px-Red-billed_Duck.jpg

nor white-cheeked pintail
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...heeked_pintail_duck_-Santa_Cruz_highlands.jpg

cheers,
James

 

[chris butterworth]

seconded.

Chris

 

[Andy Hurley]

Dear friends,



The only species of duck with red on the bill are the aptly named Red-billed Duck and the White-cheecked Pintail.

Thanks,
Igor Festari, Italy

I thought the male Red Crested Pochard also had a red bill. This is a silver teal, though, as stated by the far more knowlegeable than me, above posters

Cheers

Andy

 

[gmax]

Dear friends,
these images about a strange duck seen recently appeared in an italian birding forum.

Entries about the bird's identity included a female Mallard and, more realistically, an escaped Silver Teal (Anas versicolor).
Given the fact that the misterious teal has a mainly red bill-base, and that Silver Teal has, at the contrary, a mostly yellow bill-base, I think it could be something different.

I think it could be a White-cheecke Pintail, but what do you think about it's wing pattern (whith bold white bars) and about the lack of a long "tail"...?

Thanks,
Igor Festari, Italy

Hi Igor,
if this duck is the same as the one spotted at the NR Isola della Cona (Gorizia), half of September, which I IDed as Anas versicolor (prob. ssp versicolor), I can provide if you wish further pictures for crosschecking its ID ... just let me know.
Cheers,
Max

EDIT: just for the sake of completeness, I attach a couple of pictures of the abovementioned duck (they are heavy crops, given the distance, but I hope they're enough for a safe ID).
My identification (published on our local BW mailing list on 20th September), was a few days later confirmed by Mr. Fabio Perco, head of the reserve's Biological Station, who also added that an individual of this species (the same?!) had already been observed in early August at the reserve.

Cheers,
Max

 

[dalat]

Ha, just saw the same bird last friday (in Isola della Cona) it was right in front of the observation tower... Still remembered these pics here vaguely. This ID forum is great

 

[gmax]

Ha, just saw the same bird last friday (in Isola della Cona) it was right in front of the observation tower... Still remembered these pics here vaguely. This ID forum is great

Thank you for your info .. it's the same spot I took the pictures from ...pity I didn't meet you there; I went to the reserve the following day