Odd Tufted Duck (leucism or hybrid?), Austria (1 Viewer)

[Bitis]

I saw this Tufted Duck today in eastern Austria. It has a lot of white on the head. Is it just oddly colored (leucism?) or could it be a hybrid?

Thanks in advance!

 

[aeshna5]

I think it probably is just a leucistic Tufted Duck.

 

[Bitis]

Thank you!

 

[MJB]

I saw this Tufted Duck today in eastern Austria. It has a lot of white on the head. Is it just oddly colored (leucism?) or could it be a hybrid?

Thanks in advance!

In UK, the prevalence of Tufted Ducks with white in this position is sufficient for them to be given the nickname of 'Scaup-face'. That said, I have never seen a Tufted Duck with such a large blaze.
MJB
PS Apologies if I've used an word whose meaning is quite rare! A 'blaze' is a "white spot or stripe on the face of a mammal or bird".

 

[stevethehydra]

It's not just an enlarged blaze, but the white mottling on the rest of the head that makes it "abnormal" - but I agree it's a Tufted, with no other species involved.

I've seen similar white mottling on the head in Canada Geese, Wigeon and Coots, so I suspect it's a known type of plumage abnormality, whether or not "leucism" is the correct word for it.

 

[Bitis]

Thanks a lot!