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Anas platyrhynchos
Swimming amongst this group (http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/243...), was one female with no visible speculum - like the "mystery" momma duck in this spotting (http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/230...). Add'l web ref (http://naturalhistory.uga.edu/~GMNH/gawi...) says: "Many Mallard in the East are of domestic origin or have bred with domestic ducks. This interbreeding has caused a high degree of variation in Mallard plumage. The female Mallard would be more easily confused with other species than the male. One distinguishing characteristic of the female Mallard is its orange bill with black markings."
According to Georgia DNR publications: "Breeding mallards seen in Georgia are feral, i.e. escaped or released from captivity, there are no truly wild mallards breeding in Georgia."
Spotted at a wooded detention/retention pond in an office building complex in Kennesaw, GA
Spotted on May 18, 2013
Submitted on May 20, 2013
2 Comments
Thx!
Yes, Mallards.
Mallards are native to Georgia and the vast majority of the Mallards you see in the wild here are wild, native birds. Only birds with domestic/feral genes in them (e.g. genes from breeds such as Rouen, Pekin, Swedish, etc.) are of feral descent and the physical difference between these birds and wild Mallards is evident.