CLOSED: Duck with white breast

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cuihenggang Pittsburgh, PA Jul 22, 2014

Still in north California. This bird looks really like a Mallard, but why it has a white breast?

Thanks,
Cui

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Jul 22, 2014

Farmyard variant of Mallard ;-)

Resin

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cuihenggang Pittsburgh, PA Jul 23, 2014

Interesting. What causes that variant, is that a hybrid?

Thanks,
Cui

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Jul 23, 2014

Not a hybrid, just a crossbreed (mongrel) - a bit like crossing two domestic dogs of different breeds.

Resin

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cuihenggang Pittsburgh, PA Jul 23, 2014

I guess the difference between crossbreed and hybrid is that crossbreed happens among different breeds within the same species? So does Mallard have different breeds?

Thanks,
Cui

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kennedyh Churchill, Victoria, Australia(Zone 10a) Jul 23, 2014

Mallard have been selectively bred over the centuries, resulting in many named varieties in farmyards. Escapes into the wild then result in a variety of corss breeds such as your individual.

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cuihenggang Pittsburgh, PA Jul 23, 2014

That's interesting!

Thanks,
Cui

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