Bluebill Mallard

[Robert Van Sant]

Shot this Mallard last weekend with a blue bill. Biologist friend suggested a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Your thoughts?

 

[tod osier]

Hybrid, no female, no cross dresser. I think it is clear there is something messed up with that duck.

 

[Robert Van Sant]

All other aspects of the duck were pure mallard. Cleaned him and he appeared healthy. Might have expected parasites but none were found.
I have cleaned a few this year with "rice breast" but not this one.

 

[Rick L]

Mom always said if we stayed in cold water too long our lips would turn blue

 

[Carl]

I think someone a generation or so back was fooling around with a pintail or widgeon.

 

[Phil Nowack]

I think it's Bill just got cold,or there was a lack of circulation

 

[Mark W]

Did the duck dive on you and hold its breath for a really long time?

Weird duck

Mark W

 

[ScottCK]

the bill looks to be a different shape. shorter and fatter than the normal one next to it. (may just be angle of the photo) I'm guessing some mixed DNA

 

[Robert Van Sant]

angle of the photo, normal in every respect except for the color

 

[Joseph Sarno]

i agree with carl, i shot a hybrid pintail x mallard cross a few years back and the bill was a perfect match .

 

[Yukon Mike]

That will make a cool shoulder mount!

 

[chris k]

Shot one like that a few years back on the Mullica in nj

 

[Al Hansen]

That is a dandy, Robert. I have often wondered if Fish and Game has taken DNA samples from birds just to see how many different species have been found within one bird?
Al

 

[greg setter]

Reminds me of a Johnny Cash song.......

 

[Al Hansen]

Greg, the song about the Caddy parts from all the different model years?
Al

 

[t hanley]

And each piece in a lunch box,,,,,,,

 

[Dale C.]

It had one headlight on the right, two headlights on the left.
when I pulled out the switch, all three came on.




I love that song

 

[greg setter]

Actually Al, I was thinking "A Boy Named Sue".

 

[Al Hansen]

Hey Greg,
Here is the boy named Sue! When I shot this He/She duck, I had my good friend, Tim Mitchusson, who was the state's waterfowl biologist at the time, find her ovaries. This is a classic case of senescence or the act of getting older. She had to really be old. The last thing I did was ship her to South Dakota to Bobby Cox who at that time was a Federal waterfowl biologist. He and his mentor at LSU, Dr. Al Afton just happened to be studying this phenomenon and were writing a paper on this condition.
Al

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[greg setter]

That is interesting Al. I hope she didn't have a lonely life!