RobinHood Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Southern Ontario today. This has to be a Pintail hybrid but what else is mixed in here - Teal? Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I'm searching the internet some to see if I can find anything useful but, watching this post to see what someone might say. Fascinating bird to say the very least. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dred Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Maybe blue winged teal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, millipede said: I'm searching the internet some to see if I can find anything useful but, watching this post to see what someone might say. Fascinating bird to say the very least. Thanks for sharing. I did some searching before I posted - lots of Pintail hybrid images but nothing close to this one!! The Mallard/ABD hybrid with it was much easier to ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdbrain22 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I think this is just a juvenile drake Northern Pintail molting into adult plumage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 11 hours ago, birdbrain22 said: I think this is just a juvenile drake Northern Pintail molting into adult plumage. Thanks birdbrain for the response. Just to be clear are you saying you have seen a juvenile with the crescent behind the bill or that you think this is the most likely ID? I have searched my guides and the internet for images of juvenile Pintails and Pintail hybrids and no luck. Apparently GW Teal, Baikal Teal, Gadwall, Wigeons (both), Mallards and ABDs are all recognized hybrids. I am hoping it is a pure Pintail as they are very uncommon here at this time of year (actually any time of year). Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 13 hours ago, birdbrain22 said: I think this is just a juvenile drake Northern Pintail molting into adult plumage. Ignore my last question. I think you are correct (what do I know, I have only seen a handful) and the crescent shape is just a coincidence, random plumage transition. So I am going with immature NP. Thanks again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee_ keeper Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Like millipede said, interesting bird! I too have been searching for some more detailed info on juvenile Pintails, and finding little. But what is really confusing me is the chestnut speculum. All the info I find suggests that only the females have that color. Males, even immature, have greenish speculums. But the rest of this bird suggests male, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 This young pintail has the light crescent in front of the eye: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/132479821 The speculum is iridescent, so it changes color depending on the lighting. This pintail's speculum is showing the same purplish color: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136095481 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiley Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) I agree with transitional immature or molting adult male N. Pintail. I see nothing to suggest a hybrid of any kind. Edited January 24, 2019 by akiley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee_ keeper Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 44 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: The speculum is iridescent, so it changes color depending on the lighting. This pintail's speculum is showing the same purplish color: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136095481 Ah, I see, got it. Thanks, TBN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabird Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Where in Ontario did you see this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 17 hours ago, Jabird said: Where in Ontario did you see this? See my PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 Follow up, for anyone who may still be interested. A couple of photos taken the following day, did I say he is very approachable. In just one day the change in plumage can be seen. First image - they say these are one of the most elegant of the ducks, it should perhaps be qualified by "maybe not below the body line". Second image - I am not sure what is going on with the red coloration towards the back of the head. Hopefully he will hang around and I can track the progress. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerMaeve Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 3 hours ago, RobinHood said: Follow up, for anyone who may still be interested. A couple of photos taken the following day, did I say he is very approachable. In just one day the change in plumage can be seen. First image - they say these are one of the most elegant of the ducks, it should perhaps be qualified by "maybe not below the body line". Second image - I am not sure what is going on with the red coloration towards the back of the head. Hopefully he will hang around and I can track the progress. Beautiful photos!!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcoot Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 I agree with Akiley. The pale on the face (surrounding the base of the bill) is just part of the molt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 1 hour ago, redcoot said: I agree with Akiley. The pale on the face (surrounding the base of the bill) is just part of the molt. Thanks redcoot for the response. I soon came around to Akiley's viewpoint but if you look at the original image - the apparent crescent next to the bill and the color of the speculum - you can hopefully see how a novice could easily head off in the wrong direction. All part of the learning experience. Not sure why but your post shows an hour ago in the thread but fifteen hours ago in my notifications? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcoot Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 16 minutes ago, RobinHood said: Thanks redcoot for the response. I soon came around to Akiley's viewpoint but if you look at the original image - the apparent crescent next to the bill and the color of the speculum - you can hopefully see how a novice could easily head off in the wrong direction. All part of the learning experience. Not sure why but your post shows an hour ago in the thread but fifteen hours ago in my notifications? Can you continue to document this duck? You take beautiful photos! I think it'll be interesting to watch it as it molts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 On 1/24/2019 at 11:23 AM, The Bird Nuts said: This young pintail has the light crescent in front of the eye: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/132479821 The speculum is iridescent, so it changes color depending on the lighting. This pintail's speculum is showing the same purplish color: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136095481 Little bit late to the party as I had activated a privacy setting and it had disabled random image displays, however great examples of what misled me (once again). Coincidentally I took a photo of the specula of a female Mallard on the same day (I have struggled with the suggested purple for ABDs and blue for mallards). This one appeared purple on one and blue on the other in bright sunlight, much more pronounced in reality than the image shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 6 minutes ago, redcoot said: Can you continue to document this duck? You take beautiful photos! I think it'll be interesting to watch it as it molts. I had the same thought and I am hoping it stays around for a while. We now have the Pintail, a Wigeon, two Wood Ducks and a Gadwall hanging around, none of which should be here at this time of year!! Attached an image of the Gadwall as he is such a beautiful bird. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdbrain22 Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) On 1/24/2019 at 7:46 AM, RobinHood said: Thanks birdbrain for the response. Just to be clear are you saying you have seen a juvenile with the crescent behind the bill or that you think this is the most likely ID? I have searched my guides and the internet for images of juvenile Pintails and Pintail hybrids and no luck. Apparently GW Teal, Baikal Teal, Gadwall, Wigeons (both), Mallards and ABDs are all recognized hybrids. I am hoping it is a pure Pintail as they are very uncommon here at this time of year (actually any time of year). Thanks again. Apologies for delayed response....Birds in molt, especially youngsters going into adult, can look very odd at the various stages until they are near completion. Edited January 25, 2019 by birdbrain22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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