Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 1st December 2012 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0432)

I have seen this bird on a number of occasions and have struggled with its ID.  When I first saw it it was with a Ferruginous Duck and a Greater Scaup and I suspected that it could be a hybrid between these two species, showing rich mahogany tones to the plumage which could come from Ferruginous Duck (but are not so strong to be certainly so) and a white patch round the bill suggestive of Scaup.  I've come up with various other ideas in the meantime but, with some help from Joern who has always favoured that ID, I am now back where I started.  The bird is bulky and broad-bodied - for a while that made me wonder if a Netta species could be involved (Rosy-billed Pochard have been kept there) but this is probably more likely to have come from Greater Scaup.

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 0432 above), Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 1st December 2012 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0433-0436)

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid (presumably same bird as in photo IDs 0432-0436 above), Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 4th December 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0437-0439)

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid (presumably same bird as in photo IDs 0432-0439 above), Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th February 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0440-0441)

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid (presumably same bird as in photo IDs 0432-0441 above), Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th March 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0442-0446)

captive probable Ferruginous Duck x Greater Scaup hybrid (presumably same bird as in photo IDs 0432-0446 above), Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 24th November 2013 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0447)

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca
Greater Scaup Aythya marila