Spotting

Description:

Leucistic Mallard? Leucism is an inherited disorder in which the deposition of melanin is disrupted. Leucistic birds may have completely white plumage or only a few white feathers. Unlike albinos, however, leucistic birds have dark eyes and normal vision. Consequently, they have higher rates of survival and are much more prevalent in wild populations than true albinos. Perhaps the most well-known cause of odd plumage in waterfowl is hybridization. Crossbreeding is fairly common among many species of birds, and it occurs more often in waterfowl than in any other avian group.

Habitat:

Pond, wetland.

Notes:

This duck is a regular with the Mallard drakes at this location. I thought perhaps it was a Leucistic Mallard. But a photographer friend of mine thought it might be some "hybrid" or mix with another bird. It is mostly white, same size as the mallards, and the legs and feet are orange. Any thoughts or help with ID?