Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.
Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.
Anas platyrhynchos
By late summer, the male Mallard's need for fancy feathers to attract the females has passed. These birds have molted, and their bright feathers are replaced with mottled brown ones. Subdued colors help camouflage the male ducks, protecting them from predators. Come fall, the male Mallards will molt again and become the colorful dandies we remember. (BirdNote.org)
* Mallard in eclipse plumage? - confirmed
Lat: 40.95, Long: -73.87
Spotted on Feb 6, 2012
Submitted on Feb 6, 2012
5 Comments
Sorry about that, I thought I'd only taken a couple, but found more...that'll teach me to go through my pictures first!
No problem, you have some good bird pictures, I will come back and look at the rest later.
That comment was before you put the other pictures up!
Oh wonderful, thank you Malcolm, I'll update my spotting now. I've seen plenty of mallards, but this is my first in eclipse!
Yes it is an eclipse male Mallard, but I almost said Teal as it flashed past my screen!