I keep seeing this duck at the lake by my place, and I’m wondering what kind of duck it is. All I can offer is a physical description: it’s about the size of a mallard, it’s either black or very dark brown, and it has a white splotch on its chest.
Oh, that’s Bob.
According to the eNature field guide to ducklike birds, it is probably either one of the scoters or, unlikely, a king eider. Check out the pictures and descriptions there for a better identity.
It’s probably some kind of a farm duck (domestic duck). None of the color patterns of wild ducks that I’m familiar with sound like “black with a white chest spot”.
Why would a scoter or a king eider be hanging around a park pond in Wisconsin? They’re both “open ocean” ducks, I thought.
I drew great mirth from seeing DDG as the last respondant to this thread.
Bob? Heh heh again.
The white patch on the chest does suggest either a domestic duck, or some kind of a hybrid with a domestic duck.
There is a possibility that it could be an American Black Duck with an albinistic patch.
Most domestic mallards are white. Domestic Muscovy Ducks can be black with white patches in odd places.
It’s unlikely to be a scoter or eider, both from the description and the location.
I’ll be honest. The first thing that popped into my mind, before I read any of the responses was, “it has to be Bob”.
Truthfully, I immediatly thought it was Ned, but if two other people say that it’s Bob, then that’s who it was:D
Hey, great website, Polycarp! Thanks for that.
So, is everyone posting in this thread birders, then? "Cause, y’know, not to brag or anything, but I had a Pileated Woodpecker in my backyard last month. <sniff>
Possibly a Blue Swedish?
http://cyborganic.com/people/feathersite/Poultry/Ducks/Swedes/BRKSwedes.html
( … lovely plumage … it’s pinin’ for the millpond … Anyway, they have white splotches and sometimes breed black)
And here’s the list of domestic duck varieties it came from:
http://cyborganic.com/people/feathersite/Poultry/Ducks/BRKDucks.html
No, I asked Bob, and he says he doesn’t hang out there any more.