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Bird Identity Help

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Milvus | 19:38 Sat 15th Jun 2013 | Twitching & Birdwatching
18 Answers
Any suggestions on this female:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40634294@N06/9052750786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40634294@N06/9052764142/
I was at Rutland Water today and saw this female, a little larger than a Mallard.
Other birds in the bay, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall pairs.
Could not find a male with this one. Though it might just be a colour mutation with the patchy white on the throat
Thanks
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Looks to me like a Blue Swedish duck.
20:32 Sat 15th Jun 2013
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Thanks Gizmonster, I have tried RSPB and other identifiers. Still stuck though.
I've been through my big RSPB bird book, including the rarities and nothing comes close - it certainly looks like mutated pigmentation on a mallard.
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That could be a good shot Prudie. My brother has just texted me with a Bibbed domestic Mallard.
Tricky one
The blue duck has a white beak whilst the duck in the original picture has a black beak so I doubt it`s a blue duck
Looks to me like a Blue Swedish duck.
true, 237SJ, i didn't notice that just the similar markings, perhaps milvus should email a pic to the wildfowl and wetlands trust at slimbridge.


Dave.
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It's a long way off course from New Zealand, so I don't think so Webbo but I haven't seen one of these in my pictures before. Still baffled :(
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Plowter, that's some call!
Looks good to me. Will have a chat with Rutland tomorrow and report back
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Way too close to be ignored Plowter. And it's a domestic, so possibly popped over from a local(ish) garden. I'm sure you have it there
I'm no expert but I've seen many like this on park ponds and always thought they are Heinz 57s or mongrels of the duck world.
Hybridised mallard... they are able to interbreed with a number of domestic varieties and give all sorts of non standard patterns. Also known as a mucky mallard
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Thanks Chipchopper, Rowanwitch. I have sent off the photos to Rutland Water and Slimbridge to get a view from them. The pictures of the Swedish Blue on the web do match it well, though they vary quite a lot on colour form
You haven't mentioned the ospreys, Milvus.
I'm with rowan on this one. Prob be a mallard hybrid.
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It was a bit quiet on the Osprey front yesterday Tilly. The Osprey chicks in all the nests are doing well. The male (5R) had been away from the nest when I got to the hide, came back with a trout, then disappeared off again.

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