Pochard or not Pochard?

petehkk · #1 (**permalink**) 31-08-2009, 06:00 PM

I took this photo today, assuming it was a Pochard. However looking through many other Pochard images, I see they have ablack or dark breast! What is this duck then? Help, anybody?

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 31-08-2009, 06:09 PM

It is a drake Pochard, possibly coming out of eclipse.

petehkk · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 06:24 AM

Thanks a lot for that. Mystery over!

Hobjob · #4 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

It is a drake Pochard, possibly coming out of eclipse.

I'm not too hot on eclipses, but wouldn't it be going into eclipse at this time of year ?

richyh257 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 02:12 PM

i think generally they begin the eclipse in like mid summer but then once their flight feathers are back, a month later, they moult again bringing back their plumage so seeing as its like september now it would be coming out of eclipse

aeshna5 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobjob

I'm not too hot on eclipses, but wouldn't it be going into eclipse at this time of year ?

Should be starting to come out of eclipse now. Most ducks look their best in the winter as pair bonding usually occurs then.

Nightranger · #7 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobjob

I'm not too hot on eclipses, but wouldn't it be going into eclipse at this time of year ?

The wild teal and mallard at Marshside are just starting to come out of eclipse but migratory birds can delay the moult if there is a sudden onset of early bad weather. On the other hand, ex-captives/ferals, and non-breeding individuals may have entered the moult earlier in the year and would be just about back into normal plumage by now. That seemed to be the case with three escaped bar-headed geese that were at Marshside up until a few weeks ago and was probably the reason they escaped in the first place. It takes some skill to time cutting of new flight feathers (in preference to breaking the wings as was once widely practised) and it can be difficult to get the timing right with birds that are not breeding and therefore, do not have to delay the moult.

Picidae · #8 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 07:26 PM

It's certainly a male eclipse Pochard.

However, as to whether it's 'going in' to eclipse or 'coming out' of eclipse perhaps could be clarified by looking at the moult strategy and terminology - because I'm not sure we can tell from the photo :

'Eclipse' simply means it is in non-breeding plumage.

ADULTS: Male and females have a full post-breeding moult which includes flight and body feathers. Females simply replace their 'normal' plumage. Males however, moult into non-breeding plumage (largely resembling females) and it's this plumage which is called 'eclipse'. They stay in this plumage until moulting in late autumn/mid winter.

In autumn/mid-winter, most ducks undergo another moult just of the body feathers - Males during this moult develop their breeding plumage ie. come out of eclipse.

As for the current pic, the post breeding moult of Pochard lasts about 3-4 weeks (during which they are generally flightless with primary moult). How long a male remains in eclipse plumage depends on a variety of factors and varies not just according to species but individuals within the same species and also when it completed it's post breeding moult, whether it is a migratory individual and also how old it is, food availability, individual condition etc etc.

Personally, I see nothing in the photo to suggest the male in the picture is going in or coming out of eclipse but for the time of year, I'd say it was a little early to be moulting into breeding plumage (Pochard are generally fairly late moulters) - All I can see from pic is a male in fresh non-breeding plumage that's (probably - without seeing full details of flight feathers it's impossible to tell!) completed it's post-breeding moult and has yet to have it's next autumn/mid winter moult of it's body feathers.