Posted by bill meikle on January 13, 2010 at 12:39 PM
I think this is the missing white spotted head duck! Wonder why it has a white spot?
Posted by Luke Ormand on January 13, 2010 at 2:16 PM
Most likely the genes of some hybrid parents are being expressed. I've seen mallards that look totally "normal" but have a black tuft of hair on top, or a random white patch or the size is all off. Or maybe it's just "Mallard pattern baldness"
Posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 13, 2010 at 5:49 PM
There are many "breeds" of the mallard. This bird looks like it has some "Crested Duck" (a breed that is bred for a tuft of feathers on the top of their head) in him. "Crested Ducks" come in various plumage patterns but generally not the typical "Mallard" pattern. This bird shows a very small "Crest" so I am sure it is a back cross from a Crested and more "typical" mallard.
Posted by David Graham on January 13, 2010 at 7:07 PM
Three points:
1. "I think this is the missing white spotted head duck!"
WRONG ! It's the formerly missing white he.... Oh, forget it.
2. Whether a backcross to a leukistic "breed" of mallard or simply a spontaneous mutation in this particular individual mallard, the focal/local leukism in any mallard ( or any other creature, for that matter) is the result of a mutation that has resulted in a non-fatal chromotypic plumage change.
3. The true (inter-species)hybrid that can occur between the mallard and muscovy duck (a species with naturally varaible piebald characteristics) can, in some of its various forms, look like a piebald mallard.
Dave Graham, Estelline, SD
Posted by Nick Saunders on January 15, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Yep, just partial albinism or leucistism . Pretty snazzy though !
Discussion
4 replies1. "I think this is the missing white spotted head duck!"
WRONG ! It's the formerly missing white he.... Oh, forget it.
2. Whether a backcross to a leukistic "breed" of mallard or simply a spontaneous mutation in this particular individual mallard, the focal/local leukism in any mallard ( or any other creature, for that matter) is the result of a mutation that has resulted in a non-fatal chromotypic plumage change.
3. The true (inter-species)hybrid that can occur between the mallard and muscovy duck (a species with naturally varaible piebald characteristics) can, in some of its various forms, look like a piebald mallard.
Dave Graham, Estelline, SD