ML518331041

Dettagli dell'osservazione

Continuing 1st year male. Present since Dec 28 although not identified until late afternoon on Dec 29 when Steve Schmit self found and identified the bird. Originally there was some doubt by some online observers as the initial pictures were a bit misleading and showed a fairly prominent white spur suggesting the bird may be a hybrid. Despite this initial reaction, the bird seems fine for a 1st year male TUDU. The duck has a fairly prominent tuft, black back, Greyish flanks that are splotched with white (especially on the front edge), and a broad white wing stipe through the secondaries and primaries. The bird had a narrow white band on the bill boarding the black nail and no white at the base of the bill. A hybrid should show some white at the base of the bill, probably more gray in the wing, a shorter tuft, and I’d expect the flanks to be a more smooth grey with white spur. Nice find Steve! PA #350.