Hello & Bird ID Help please

noneed · #1 (**permalink**) 19-02-2010, 06:37 PM

Hello to everyone,

Been searching this site all day to see if I could identify this bird but no luck.
Its the big one with the black head, left the Mallards in the pic so you could get an idea of size.
Please help

Also having looked at the photo again is the female in front of the male Mallards a female Mallard or a female Teal? (only recently seen my first Teal so not too sure)

Hopefully I have done this correctly
Cheers
Noneed

epops · #2 (**permalink**) 19-02-2010, 06:42 PM

tis a female mallard and a mallard cross

thebeard · #3 (**permalink**) 19-02-2010, 06:49 PM

hello noneed and welcome to wab

your big duck is a domestic mallard breed, most probably of the 'campbell' variety - search domestic duck breeds on google and you'll soon find him!

the female is a mallard, female teal have a green 'wing patch' or speculum and a darker beak

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 19-02-2010, 07:08 PM

Teal are our smallest duck + would be dwarfed by Mallard.

noneed · #5 (**permalink**) 19-02-2010, 08:56 PM

Thanks for all your replys, the thing that confused me about the female Mallard was the flash on the wing.
In another pic the female does look quite small next to the male Mallard. Been trying to upload this pic with no success (probably be there half a dozen times now).
Going to have a closer look on the pond tomorrow and take a better camera, might be back tomorrow with more I can't identify.

captaincarot · #6 (**permalink**) 20-02-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noneed

Thanks for all your replys, the thing that confused me about the female Mallard was the flash on the wing.
In another pic the female does look quite small next to the male Mallard. Been trying to upload this pic with no success (probably be there half a dozen times now).
Going to have a closer look on the pond tomorrow and take a better camera, might be back tomorrow with more I can't identify.

if they are that sort of size and shape they are usually a domestic duck crossed with a mallard the colours vary massively from bird to bird. but mallards aren't choosy when it comes to mates

noneed · #7 (**permalink**) 20-02-2010, 12:05 PM

Thanks for all that, had a look at the pond this morning and saw that little group again and yes I can see it is a female Mallard. Was just confusing myself with the photo!!
And ok you've convinced me the big un is a Mallard cross as there are a few very similar looking chaps in the pond that hang about with other Mallards.