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Re: Forbidden love?



Curiously enough, I have seen obvious hybrids between Canada Geese, and
domestic Greylags here on two lakes, Osceola in Henderson County, and
Junaluska in Haywood.
Alex Netherton
Asheville NC
danetherton@msn.com
http://www.appalachian-naturalist.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mountainbirding
----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Sorenson" <clyde_sorenson@ncsu.edu>
To: "Carolina birds" <carolinabirds@acpub.duke.edu>
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2001 11:03 AM
Subject: Forbidden love?


> The wild wood duck drake that has been hanging out in the pond behind my
> house since last summer has been avidly courting one of the feral
> mallard hens on the pond, and it appears that she is responding,
> although I haven't seen them attempt mating yet.  (I've seen much mutual
> bill-dipping, parallel swimming, head-tossing, etc. And the little guy
> attacks drake mallards that get near her.)
>
> I am still puzzled by the woodie's association with the hen; I wonder if
> he and his apparent brother (who disappeared last fall) might not be the
> product of dump-nesting by a hen wood duck into a feral mallard nest.
> This male appears to be very strongly imprinted on mallards.
>
> I will keep you posted should any bizzare little hybrid ducks show up on
> the pond.
>
> Clyde Sorenson
> Clayton and Raleigh, NC
> clyde_sorenson@ncsu.edu
>