Date: 8/11/26 5:17 am From: 'Ted on Little Round Bay' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Duck ID help, Crownsville, next to Severn River
Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate it. I'll just keep them as mallards.
On Monday, August 10, 2026 at 11:10:35 AM UTC-4 Jim Nelson wrote:
> eBird offers "Mallard (Domestic type)" as a reporting option. Here is
> what they have to say about "Domestic type" taxa:
>
> "eBird has separate ‘domestic type' taxa for 15 species. When you see
> these in eBird they will always have an Exotic Code, which can range from
> Escapee (most often) to Naturalized (for some species) depending on their
> level of establishment.
>
> Importantly, domestic type taxa should be thought of as taxonomic
> entities—sort of like subspecies. They are a sub-population of the parent
> species with a unique and specific evolutionary history and appearance.
> Many domestic types are larger and have more variable plumage (often white,
> black, or mottled) compared to their parent species. In most cases the
> domestic types don't form self-sustaining populations and don't occur near
> the native range of the parent species, but there are notable exceptions
> (Graylag Goose, Mallard, Muscovy Duck, and Feral Pigeon have the most
> overlap in the range of native and domestic type forms).
>
> When reporting to eBird, please report wild-type birds as the parent
> species and use "domestic type" for individuals that show clear signs of
> domestication. These two types are generally identifiable in the field, so
> identify them as you would any other species, but also take note of their
> behavior and habitat."
>
> Given how little white is on the chest of the male and at the base of the
> bill of the female Mallard in your photos, and the lack of a curly tail on
> either, I would lean toward reporting these as "Mallard" unless you
> otherwise think there are clear signs of domestication. Could be some
> domestic type genes in there, or it may just be some leucism (expressed as
> white areas where other colors would be expected.
>
> Jim Nelson
> Bethesda, MD
> <kingfi......>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2026 at 10:46 AM Steve Long <steve......>
> wrote:
>
>> I can't answer about ebird.
>>
>> In some places, Mallard hybrids are quite common, with all sorts of
>> strange markings. If the operators of ebird have any interest in all about
>> them, I SUPPOSE they would have some category for hybrid Mallards. But
>> sorting out what ancestry is probably not even possible.
>>
>> Interestingly, in the autumn here near Oxford, I am recently seeing large
>> migrating flocks of Mallards that appear to be mostly if not all
>> pure-bred. And the large flotilla of strange looking hybrids that used to
>> live in our cove is now long-gone.
>>
>> Steve Long, Oxford
>> On 8/10/2026 9:15 AM, 'Ted on Little Round Bay' via Maryland & DC Birding
>> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks Steve. That makes sense. Is there an appropriate ebird thing to
>> register this under? I just have them down as mallards, which is as wrong
>> as black ducks I suppose.
>> On Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 8:57:57 PM UTC-4 Steve Long wrote:
>>
>>> Mallards will cross-breed with both Black Ducks and Peking Ducks (white
>>> domestic), and cross-breeds can further cross-breed, generation after
>>> generation.
>>>
>>> So, it would probably take a DNA sample and a costly analysis to figure
>>> out exactly what ancestral combination resulted in these 2 ducks.
>>>
>>> Steve Long
>>>
>>>
>>> On 8/9/2026 6:08 PM, 'Ted on Little Round Bay' via Maryland & DC Birding
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Can I get some expert advice on this duck family in our yard? I'd like
>>> to think they're mallard x black duck hybrids. There are 6 just hatched
>>> ducklings in the mix, and these 2 adults. What I assume is the male has a
>>> white breast patch, and on what I assume is the female, the speculum color
>>> is not blue, though it seems to be bounded by black and not white. This is
>>> at the Severn River. This time of year, I have only seen mallards. Chicks
>>> this late in the season and the lack of clear mallard markings have me
>>> confused. See attached photos.. Thanks for any thoughts. [image:
>>> L1023018.jpeg][image: L1023029.jpeg][image: L1023040.jpeg][image:
>>> L1023068.jpeg][image: L1023083.jpeg][image: L1023121 2.jpeg] --
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