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Anas bahamensis
I have been following this escapee Bahama pintail (native to the Caribbean, South America, and the Galápagos Islands) frequenting a nearby pond for a couple of summers, and have always wondered where it spent the winter. The answer is it stays in Switzerland in spite of the freezing conditions (see last shot)! More information in the notes.
An open pond with reeds and dense vegetation, the shores of which are frozen at this time of year as shown on the last shot. In its original habitat this duck is found in waters with a degree of salinity, such as brackish lakes, estuaries and mangrove swamps.
Bahama pintails have been spotted in Europe, where they are escapees or descendents of escapees from bird parks. These ducks are mainly mottled brown with white cheeks, red at the base of the beak in the adult, a distinctive green and black speculum and a whitish tail. Mallards and tufted ducks are still found at this pond, as well as of two out-of-range ruddy shelducks (spotting to come) and a ferruginous duck. Previous spottings of this duck can be seen at http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/690... and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/619... (last shot).
23 Comments
Thank you Sachin!
Lovely portrait
Thank you very much Luc! Merci!
Yes it's true it is very pretty and your photos are great. This is the first time I see a bird so beautiful duck. congratulation
Thank you again Satyen!
Lovely shots and info.
Thanks again Sarah!
once again.....FANTASTIC photos, girl! :)
Thank you FrancisQuintana!
Thank you very much Stian!
Amazing pictures Daniele! Very beautiful duck..
@Ismael: it's a very nice gesture of you...
@docfinsdave: thanks! Helped by crispy winter conditions.
I could not buy another one so I gave it to my friend who has several ducks so he is alone no more
Thank you again Ismael! I hope you're lone Muscovy duck is going OK...
Beautiful series Daniele
New pic added.
I hope so Atul, I've always seen them together...
hang on for some more time ,you might spot him too!!
Thank you Karen and Atul! Atul, his fellow escapee the ringed teal was unfortunately nowhere to be seen... to be followed next spring summer!
Thanks Saarbrigger! I actually like the third too...always hard to know which pic to put first...
wow its him again , i remember this one Daniele!!
nice pics !!!
Nice portrait!
Beautiful duck. I like the third picture most.