Chicken Hybrids - Duck Hybrids

Duck Hybrids

Charles Darwin also described duck hybrids in The Variation of Animals And Plants Under Domestication:

Hybrids are often raised between the common and musk duck, and I have been assured by three persons, who have kept these crossed birds, that they were not wild; but Mr. Garnett (13/45. As stated by Mr. Orton in his 'Physiology of Breeding' page 12.) observed that his hybrids were wild, and exhibited 'migratory propensities' of which there is not a vestige in the common or musk duck.

Hybrids between mallard ducks and Aylesbury ducks (a white domestic breed derived from the mallard) are frequently seen in British parks where the two types are present. The hybrids often resemble a dark coloured mallard with a white breast. Mallard ducks also hybridise with the Muscovy duck producing pied offspring.

Hybrids between the Ruddy Duck and White-headed Duck are undesirable in parts of Europe where the introduced Ruddy Duck has bred with native White-headed ducks. The increasing number of Ruddy ducks and hybrids threatens the existence of the White-headed ducks, resulting in shooting campaigns to remove the introduced species. This is controversial as some believe that nature should be allowed to take its course, even though this favours the more successful introduced species.

Hybrid ducks of the genus Aythya, include birds which are a mixture of Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck and Ring-necked Duck

List of duck hybrids:

• Northern pintail and Mallard
• Ruddy duck and White-headed duck
• Ruddy shelduck and Shelduck
• White-faced whistling duck and Plumed whistling duck
• Baikal teal and Northern pintail
• Hooded merganser and Smew
• Eurasian wigeon and American wigeon
• Mallard and Grey Duck, a subspecies of the Pacific Black Duck.

See also Mariana Mallard.