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Birding/3 ducks or 2 ducks and a goose?

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Expert: - 12/24/2010


Question

ducks
Hi. I was wondering if you could tell me what kinds of birds these three are. I've been assuming the first two white ones where the same kind, which I thought was pekin duck. But the beeks seem different to me and the second one almost seems like a goose of some kind? The third I find normally there are one or two in with a large group of otherwise mallard ducks. But this seems to be dark brown and have a white chest and are quite different looking than the other mallards in the group. Is this some other breed of duck or is it a mallard with it's feathers changing for winter or something? Thanks for any clarification you can offer.

Answer
These are all the same species - Mallards. Pekin Ducks are just white mallards and they often mate with wild Mallards and you end up with funny colored and patterned ducks. Pekin Ducks tend to be larger and stouter but they are just domestic mallards. The beaks might be a slightly different size but they are the same otherwise. You often find this situation of mixed ducks in a city pond or lake or farm pond. Happy Holidays.

Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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