Canvasback-Mallard?

[Hugh Vandervoort]

I found this odd looking duck at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. Do such hybrids exist, or is it something else?

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[Steve Long]

Mallards cross-breed with domestic white ducks and I think native Black Ducks quite a bit.  Some really odd plumage patterns can result.  I would not expect cross-breeding with Canvas Backs or Red head Ducks, but let's see what others have to say about that.

[Bob Ringler]

Hugh,

   This is probably a Mallard breed, not a hybrid. There are dozens of breeds of Mallards that have been produced over the centuries and they all have their own names. They range from all-white (Pekin Duck) to all-dark irridescent feathers (Cayuga Duck), some with white chests (Duclair Duck), a variety of colors (Magpie Duck, Blue Swedish Duck), unusual head plumages (Bali Duck), very large birds (Rouen Duck), very small birds (Call Duck), birds that stand erect and run (Indian Runner), birds that appear leucistic (Blue Campbell, Buff Orpington), and on and on. Mallard breeds are a zoo unto themselves. Many are bred for show like dogs, some for meat, some for decoys, some as pets. That's most of what I have found about breeds. You might be able to find your bird by doing a websearch but give yourself a full day.

   Most odd-plumaged Mallards that are observed in the wild are not hybrids but breeds that have escaped or were released. They mix freely with wild birds but are often found in parks where someone feeds the ducks. The breeds I have seen most often are Duclair Duck, Pekin Duck, and Cayuga Duck.

  

Bob Ringler

Eldersburg MD

[Hugh Vandervoort]

Thanks to all. Very informative. I had just been photographing Canvasbacks, so the colors stuck with me.

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