Hybrid ??

[Dave Leroy]

I am guessing this is mostly Pintail with a bit of Mallard, but it is a guess.

This is pretty much full frame, but the body was definitely pintail and the duck was hanging out with the mallards if that means anything.

Photo was taken this morning at local refuge near Vanc. BC.

Dave

[Paul Lagasi]

Sure looks like it, if you have any showing full body, wouldn't mind seeing them

[John Chardine]

A classic Mallard-Pintail hybrid Dave. Mallards were traditionally more of a western duck in North America, being replaced by Black Ducks in the east. However, the Mallard is marching east and rolling over everything in its path. Hybridisation is an important conservation issue for Black Ducks, with which Mallards hybridise freely.

[Dave Leroy]

Thanks for the comments Paul and John.
From what i have seen hybrids have been really odd looking combo's and stand out as different.
This bird really looked like a pintail at a distance and only when close and in good light did the mallard become apparent.
I had not seen it before, but did see it twice yesterday or at least two very similiar birds.
Paul, I will try and get a full frame shot the next time out.

Interesting comment about the mallard moving east John.
They do seem to be a very adaptable bird, much like the Canada Goose. They are certainly the least shy of the ducks that are around here.

[John Chardine]

Mallard-Pintail is a fairly common hybrid Dave. It essentially shows how closely related are the duck species in the Anas genus and how recently their evolutionary history is.