AMERICAN BLACK DUCK HYBRID

Discussion of this topic can be confusing. So, I shall start with a short review of the ubiquitous male Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos), familiar to all bird enthusiasts. It has a bright iridescent green head, white neck, brown chest, yellow bill, and pale-gray body. The female of this species is much less colorful-with mostly brown and white feathers. Both sexes of this species can endure humans (i.e., they like to be fed).

The much less commonly occurring American Black Duck Hybrid (Anas rubripes) (Fig. 1) is immediately distinctive because of the coloration of the males as well as their relatively long necks. I could not get a good view of a hen (female), but, as Figure 2 shows, they have some brown and/or white coloration in the head/neck area. The hens (females) are VERY wary of humans!

MALLARD X AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (hybrid) 

Anas platyrhynchos X rubicipes

Recently (in early July), I saw several black to blackish ducks hiding in tall weeds along the shoreline of a narrow lake (canal) in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County, southern California. These black to blackish ducks, furthermore, got my attention because although they resemble the shape of a regular (common) mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), they clearly were not the norm, especially in that they were dark colored and shunned humans. The common mallards are always begging humans for food and come right up to you.

Nearby there were regular-looking mallards. At the time, I was perplexed as to what I was seeing. After consulting some literature, I discovered that these black to partially black ducks are closely related to regular mallards (green/white/brown) and represent a hybrid form of the regular mallards.

Figure 1. Male hybrid-mallard X Black Duck, Anas platyrhynchos X rubicipes.

Figure 2. Two females of hybrid Mallard X Black Ducks in the background, with a male hybrid in the foreground.