Eurasian Wigeon X American Wigeon Hybrid, (Anas penelope X Anas americana), Ocotillo Golf Resort, Chandler, Maricopa County

This Hybrid American X Eurasian Wigeon was photographed by Michael Moore on 13 January 2009 at the Ocotillo Golf Resort where a Eurasian Wigeon had previously been reported. 

American Wigeon is abundant in Arizona during winter. Eurasian Wigeon is rare but regular in small numbers during winter in Maricopa County, especially in the urban ponds of Scottsdale.  Hybrids between American and Eurasian Wigeon are almost as common as pure Eurasians in Arizona, so care must be taken in all identifications.

In pure Eurasian, the crown stripe is buffy and the rest of the head is a solid rufous color.  This bird has a buffy crown stripe (somewhat overexposed in the photos so it appears whiter) but only the eyepatch and nape are rufous.  The rest of the head is speckled like a typical American Wigeon although the background color here is an intermediate buffy orange, not the typical gray of an American.  In pure Eurasian, the flanks are gray and the breast is pink, with a clear demarcation between them.  This bird has gray flanks, but the pink of the breast extends down the sides and blends into the gray flanks. 

American Wigeon is the most individually variable of North American ducks.  The amount of white on the head is especially variable and varies from just the forehead being white to the entire head excluding the green stripe being white.  The forehead color also varies from white to buffy.  These birds should not be identified as hybrids.  They always have a black line at the base of the bill and never have gray in the flanks. 

Note the three white-headed morphs of American Wigeon in the first photo (one on land to the left of the hybrid and two in the water to the right). 

Other photos of hybrid wigeon can be found here, here, here and here. 

13 January 2009, digiscoped photos by Michael Moore

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer

Map:

View Larger Map