Ring-necked x Tufted Duck (hybrid)

Aythya collaris x fuligula

Status: Accidental in summer

Record: A drake was photographed in Cherry Co 10 Jul 2019 (Paul Timm, eBird.org). This male Aythya at NNF McKelvie, Cherry Co caused extensive discussion as to its identity. A case was made for it being a Tufted Duck, potentially Nebraska’s second, but the possibility of it being a hybrid or intergrade involving Ring-necked Duck and Tufted Duck emerged as the most likely identification based on opinions from England and the USA East Coast (Mark Brogie, Clem Klaphake, personal communications).

Comments: Intriguingly, there is a record very close to Nebraska in Sedgwick Co, Colorado, also of a male (Mlodinow, Moore, eBird.org). The only other record in the central US, out of about 10 in all for North America, is for Minnesota 13 Dec 2018 (Svingen, eBird.org).

Images

Recommended Citation

Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2022. Ring-necked x Tufted Duck (hybrid) (Aythya collaris x fuligula). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org

Updated 30 Nov 2022