Mallards with Rare Colors?

[orchidpoet]

I photographed a mallard with a purple head.

Then I looked it up. There is an entry under Rare Blue Headed Mallard: https://feederwatch.org/community/participant-photo/rare-blue-headed-mallard

To me, this mallard is just as purple as mine.

Is purple headed mallard rare?

I will post my photo later when I get to convert it from RAW.

[Paul O'Toole]

A couple of things, in some cases depending on the angle that the sunlight hits its head and the angle you it at can make the colour look more purplish than normal. Secondly mallards are a species that interbreeds with domestic ducks and this will produce odd and strange looking plumages as well.

[orchidpoet]

Paul, thank you for your comments. I see what you mean.

I have another mallard which is blue on the top and green in the lower part of the head: https://charline.pixels.com/featured/mallard-in-flight-charline-xia.html


Here is the purple headed one. When it reflects the sun, instead of shining with glass bottle green, it shines in purple. One cannot miss it.
https://charline.pixels.com/featured/purple-headed-mallard-rare-duck-charline-xia.html