Dennis et al.,

I've seen that variant many times. My impression was that it was not all
that rare. 1:100 sounds about right.

Gene Hunn.

On Fri, 24 Feb 1995, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> >Last week while at the Ballard Locks (2/16) in Seattle I noted a small
> >number of
> >American widgeons (and a Eurasion as well) but what interested me was an
> >unusual American widgeon. A description from Waterfowl guide describes
> >the male distinctive, having whitish forehead and crown center, dark
> >green band extending back from eye over sides of head with sides of head
> >and neck greeyish white, intensely freckled with dark mottling. This bird
> >cream forehead, dark green band and sides of head and neck was cream as
> >well. There was no intense freckling with dark mottling on the cheek and
> >side of the head and there was a bit of freckling towards the neck. It
> >was a very striking pattern effect and this bird stands out in a crowd of
> >widgeons. Is there a fair amount of variation in the intense freckling
> >with dark mottling pattern or is this bird a hybrid from the South? I
> >just joined tweeters so someone else may have mentioned this bird.
> >Mary Peretz
> >Seattle, Washington
> >mperetz at fred.fhcrc.org
>
> This variation is seen regularly in American wigeons, at a very low
> frequency (lower even than the frequency of American x Eurasian hybrids, I
> think). I have photos of one from Green Lake in March 1977, and I have
> seen them on and off over the years. Obviously not the same bird, it may
> be a rare recessive mutation. I don't think it indicates hybridization
> with any other species. How many of these birds have been seen recently,
> tweeters?
>
> Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
> Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
> University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
> Tacoma, WA 98416
>
>
>