Subject: Tufted Duck hybrids
Date: Mar 24 11:56:07 1994
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu

Stacy Peterson wrote, with regard to a "Tufted Duck" at Wallula Junction:

"The bird had a definate dark back, in distinct contrast with the SCAUP it
was associating with. I did not notice any vermiculations on the back,
but the range may not have been close enough, either. Brilliant white
sides made the bird stand out, too. It appeared slightly smaller, more
dainty than GREATER SCAUP. A definate tuft (cowlick??) was visible toward
the back of its head (about 1:30 o'clock, in position to straight up on a
bird facing sideways). This tuft was not as long as seen in typical
pictures, and didn't even appear to curve - it sort of just stuck up an
inch or two. Even in the wind with the bird facing different directions,
and when the bird ducked through the waves on the river, I didn't see a
long tuft flapping around."

This description would be excellent for the bird or birds we have been
calling Tufted Duck x scaup hybrids at Green Lake in Seattle; there are
lots of good photos of this bird (or these birds) now, as it flocks with
scaups that are quite tame. The markings on the black back can't be seen
except at quite close range. We assume it is a hybrid with Greater Scaup,
as Tufted and Lesser don't breed in the same area, but it's possible a male
of one or the other of those two species might mate in winter with the
wrong species and fly back to the female's breeding grounds.

Here's exactly the value of birders carefully doumenting, including written
descriptions, any bird they see that could be considered rare or somewhat
unlikely, in the continent, country, state, county or season for that
matter!