Goose Family? ID help please!

[Julie Brown]

Seen and photographed at Sedona Wetlands south of Sedona, Arizona on March 29, 2013.
At first I thought these three might be ducks, but after seeing the black one out of the water I am guessing that they are geese. Since they stayed together as they swam around the pond amidst groups of buffleheads, ring-necked ducks, shovelers and coots, I assumed that they were the same species, and possibly a family. Although each bill is a different color, all seem to be the same length and shape. The white and brown bird has an orange bill. I have searched my field guides and looked online, but I am stumped. Could they be hybrids of some sort? Wild or domestic?

[Dan Brown]

Hi Julie. I am no expert on these birds but I think that they are "park ducks" probably extreme hybrids originating from Mallard stock. They don't seem "goosie" to me :-)

[Julie Brown]

Thanks for your input, Dan. Here is a crappy shot of the black one out of the water to show you where I got the idea that they might be geese.

[Dan Brown]

Julie, the bill looks like a duck bill to me. I don't know to what degree the hybridization affects these creatures but? Maybe they have some goose in them or muscovy or mallard........

[Julie Brown]

I see your point, Dan. I have seen lots of domestic duck hybrids here in Indiana, but these looked different and confusing.

[Roy Priest]

The dark one is a Black Indian Runner duck. The other two are forms of domestic mallard.

[Julie Brown]

Thanks, Roy. From what I saw in my internet searches, the other two might be Indian Runners as well.