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Is this a female Australasian Shoveller ?
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:06 pm
by Jim Kirker
At Waiatarua wetland today - not sure if it is a mallard grey duck hybrid or a shoveller. Help with id please.
Re: Is this a female Australasian Shoveller ?
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:17 pm
by SomesBirder
It's a mallard-grey duck hybrid. It would be highly abnormal for a female Australasian shoveler to have such a dark eye-stripe.
Re: Is this a female Australasian Shoveller ?
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:52 pm
by Ian Southey
Not even close to a Shoveler but a young bird (short wings) so looks a bit odd. With the short but clear cream stripe from the bill to the eye it could even be at the dark end of the Grey Duck range but can't see the legs or the speculum to be sure.
Ian
Re: Is this a female Australasian Shoveller ?
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:34 pm
by Jim Kirker
Thank you both. The legs were dark and I did not see the speculum. It was up ending like others in the pond, which I guess is not typical shoveller behaviour.