Ring-necked Duck X Lesser Scaup hybrid (Aythya collaris X Aythya affinis), Green Valley WTP, Pima County

This Ring-necked Duck X Lesser Scaup hybrid was photographed by Laurens Halsey on 17 February 2013

This individual was first found, identified, and reported by Cathy Sheeter and Steven Mlodinow on 12 February 2013.  It was photographed on 17 February 2013 by Laurens Halsey.

Aa similar plumaged hybrid Aythya duck was photographed at same location in April 2010 and this is possibly the same individual, although there are differences, especially in the markings on the bill.  See here.

Laurens writes:

 "First found the bird it was resting with its bill tucked into back feathers and not noticeably different than nearby Ring-necked Ducks except the head had a green-sheen, all the male Ring-necked Ducks showed a dark purple sheen. Uniform near white flanks with barely distinguishable light-gray vermiculation lacking the white "spur" on the front of the flanks (on RNDU the flanks are whiter towards the front (white "spur") next to the blackish breast and pale-gray without visible vermiculation). The back was dark gray (almost black) with faint pale vermiculation. Once head was raised and bill exposed - the bill was noticeably different than RNDU: the bill lacked the white border along the base, lacked the distinct white ring around the tip as on a RNDU, only the nail at the tip was black like a LESC whereas the entire tip of the bill is black on a RNDU, most of the bill was bluish-gray, not as bluish as LESC but more bluish than RNDU. Head shaped much like a RNDU with a continuously rounded forehead, fore crown, to hind crown peak and then nearly straight angled back of the head to where the lower part of the back of the head intersects the back. Parentage PRESUMED - based on previous identification and some limited research. Many other reported hybrid RNDUxLESC include a description of the green sheen to the head. Mlodinow stated in his writeup that if GRSC was one of the parents, the head would have been larger & rounder. A male Tufted Duck would show a rounded head (not peaked) and at the age would show at least some semblance of a feather tuft behind the hind crown."

17 February 2013, photo by Laurens Halsey

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