Regarding the odd shoveler-type duck in Prospect Park, this bird (I assume the same) was first noted on 12/24/09 and reported on Peter Doroshs Prospect sightings blog:
http://peters-prospect-bird-sightings.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-eve-day-prospect-and-garden.html Some photos I took are posted at: http://www.digitalmediatree.com/arboretum/shoveler/ My photos show the bird next to a female Northern Shoveler; though male by plumage it is barely as large as the female shoveler, and the bill appears smaller. From what I see online the Australasian Shoveler is at least as big as Northern, with equally extreme bill proportions. Australasian also appears to have a more gray-tinged head and darker markings on the breast, whereas the Prospect bird has a strongly green head. Based on these factors I tend to think its a Northern Shoveler X Blue-winged Teal hybrid, but Id be interested in more knowledgeable opinions. Good birding, Alex Wilson Brooklyn, NY > Prospect Park's lake is notorious for hosting some very strange hybrid > waterfowl, so I wasn't too surprised to find an odd-looking shoveler > in the park. What was first perceived to be a Northern Shoveler x Blue- > winged Teal hybrid, I'm now pretty certain is actually an Australasian > Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis). I have some photos and a short video on my > blog here: > > http://citybirder.blogspot.com/2010/01/strange-waterfowl.html > > Just wondering: > > - How common are Australasian Shovelers in zoos or private collections? > - Have Australasian Shovelers ever been recorded outside of New > Zealand or Australia? > - What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? > > Good birding, > > Rob > > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
