black headed duck

[bluebirdxo]

I think there is a black headed duck in a pond near us - I looked up photos and certainly looks like it ... says they are usually found in America so is this possible???

[Robert S J Smith]

Originally Posted by bluebirdxo

I think there is a black headed duck in a pond near us - I looked up photos and certainly looks like it ... says they are usually found in America so is this possible???

Will be an escapee I'm afraid.

Rob

[bluebirdxo]

there is also a black swan definitely hooked up with the white ones cause flew in together today would the strange duck and the black swan be from the same escaped collection?

[aeshna5]

Black Swans are common in collections +it's not that rare to find escapees + they have been recorded breeding in the wild here, though as yet no sustainable feral populations established. It could have come from any collection.

Do you have any photos of the Black-headed Duck as they aren't that common in collections? The London Wetland Centre have had them in the past in their South American exhibit area. This species regularly acts like a Cuckoo laying its eggs in other waterbird nests.

[bluebirdxo]

I will try to get photos of the duck - I am in Scotland - not sure if I am near a collection or not

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Robert S J Smith

Will be an escapee I'm afraid.

Rob

or a hybrid!

Cheers,

Adam

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by bluebirdxo

I will try to get photos of the duck - I am in Scotland - not sure if I am near a collection or not

Ducks tend to be strong fliers so it may not originate locally from a collection. You may well be correct in your ID but it maybe some domestic variant or hybrid, so will be good to see it.