Need help identifying duck
Outdoor Ontario

Need help identifying duck

Neev · 7 · 1582

Neev

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I was out walking along the Humber River in West Toronto this morning. I noticed an unfamiliar duck mixed in with some Mallard.

It was dark brown all over apart from a white patch on its breast right beneath the throat, and had a grey-ish bill. It was about the same size as the Mallard. I haven't had any luck identifying it so far and any help would be great!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »


Walter Fisher

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Hi Neev,

If it and you were near the big white bridge than it was an immature King Eider that you were looking at.  It's actually a rare bird in Ontario but a few show up each winter.

Walter :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Neev

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Hi Walter,

I saw the bird upriver in St. Etienne-Brule park, near Old Mill. I googled pictures of the immature King Eider and it does look like the bird I saw. The only thing that's making me doubt it is the bill - the bird I saw didn't have the same bill as an immature Eider. It looked like a Mallard's bill but slightly more pointed, if that makes sense?

I'm not familiar with King Eiders at all so could it still be an immature bird with an undeveloped bill?

Neev
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »


Reuven_M

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Your bird is more likely to be a domestic mallard of some variety.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »


John

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Given the location of the sighting and the fact that the bill of that King Eider is orange, it is unlikely to be a King Eider.

More likley that it's a domestic mallard.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »


JW Mills

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As Reuven and John have said, most likely some sort of domestic mallard.
Google 'bibbed mallard' and look thru the images.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Neev

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Yes, the pictures of bibbed mallards look like what I saw.

Thanks for the help!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »