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Weird duck story



All,

We had a strange thing happen yesterday afternoon. I looked off the deck

when I got home (as I usually do) and saw some different ducks on the
edge of the pond. I got out the scope, and it turns out there were two
immature drake woodies and an apparent wild female hybrid black-mallard
(very dusky body coloration, mottled bill, purple speculum with two
white borders). The
two woodies hung out with the hybrid as if she had adopted them, and she

was actually protecting them from some of the tame ducks on the pond.
the young woodies are unafraid of humans, although they showed no
signs whatsoever of captivity- fully flight capable, no cage-worn
feathers, no bands, etc., and my neighbor has not purchased any new
birds. The female hybrid is considerably more skittish but tolerates me
to remain near the two woodies. They are still out there today. Maybe
they'll stick around long enough to see the transition to adult nuptial
plumage in the woodies.

Take care,

Clyde Sorenson
Clayton and Raleigh, NC
clyde_sorenson@ncsu.edu