ML621344903
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Observation details
don't play the hybrid card often on funny looking individuals unless I'm sure, and I'd prefer a good look at the top of the wing before doing so. However, this bird and her ducklings strike me as very odd for pintail, though at a glance I'd land there too. I surely see the pintail side of this bird, especially in the slim profile of the neck and head. However, what I can see of the feather patterning suggests wigeon to me. Hen pintail should be much more plain brown. This bird even shows the salt & pepper of a hen wigeon on the back of the head/upper neck. However, the bill is way too long for pure wigeon but not long enough (IMHO) for pintail. Additionally, the ducklings appear to be a little on the dingy side for pintail ducklings and fit much better with wigeon. Lastly, though the shakiest of evidence, pintail are generally very early nesters and seeing just hatched ducklings in July would be noteworthy. Timing of hatch for this bird fits much better with wigeon. This observation is by Brandon Reishus, wildlife biologist in Western Oregon.
Technical information
- Model
- COOLPIX P950
- ISO
- 125
- Focal length
- 571.2 mm
- Flash
- Flash did not fire
- f-stop
- f/6.5
- Shutter speed
- 1/250 sec
- Dimensions
- 704 pixels x 528 pixels
- Original file size
- 152.72 KB