David and I went to Daventry
Reservoir for a reported female Blue-winged Teal but when we arrived it had
been identified as a hybrid Blue-winged Teal x Shoveler.
We went and had a look at the bird and it was easy to see how
it was identified as a Blue-winged Teal.
The bill was perhaps the first
thing to raise suspicions of a hybrid as it appeared shoveler-shaped and had a
suggestion of orange, which was more evident on the underside.
On closer inspection the
facial pattern also did not appear quite right; there was a very noticeable
dark eye-stripe and the pale spot at the base of the bill was indistinct and
less white than on Blue-winged Teal. The
upperparts were also perhaps less warm then on a female Blue-winged Teal and
the feather edging whiter.
The plumage variations
mentioned above are based on my own experience and previous photos taken in the
USA but could well fall within the range of a female Blue-winged Teal.
Hybrid Blue-winged Teal
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