Melanistic Mallard???

[andersonjk4]

I saw this mallard in Riverfront Park while walking to work yesterday.  I only had my iphone to take the picture.  I really wish I would have had my nice camera.  It looks really cool.  I also wish I could have it stuffed and on my mantle.  Anyone else ever seen a dark duck like this?  Is it a rare genetic thing, or is this some other species like the melanistic pheasant?

[BigGoonTuna]

looks like a cayuga, domestic breed.

[terrellwa]

That's a Park Duck.

[cryfowl]

I wish people would stop releasing their pet ducks into public parks.

[h2ofowlr]

Does it come running at a bag of wonder bread?  Looks like a park duck.

[Skagit_Hunter]

"parking" For a trophy farm/park duck Just hope it doesn't breed into the wild population.

[Kain]

There is one that lives at Klineline Pond in Vancouver.

[Bigtine96]

I'm getting a melenistic hen mallard mounted right now but she is pure blonde not black like that..

[boneaddict]

Looks like a fat Cayuga as stated.

[lokidog]

I'm getting a melenistic hen mallard mounted right now but she is pure blonde not black like that..

That would be a leucistic mallard, which is the opposite of a melanistic one.  Melanin is the dark pigment, a melanistic bird has an overabundance of the pigment, a leucistic bird has a lack of the pigment but is not an albino.  FYI 

[KwackWacker]

lueistic is like the one on the top of the pile....this one is mallard hen.....they are kinda a cream white....

[Bigtine96]

I'm getting a melenistic hen mallard mounted right now but she is pure blonde not black like that..

That would be a leucistic mallard, which is the opposite of a melanistic one.  Melanin is the dark pigment, a melanistic bird has an overabundance of the pigment, a leucistic bird has a lack of the pigment but is not an albino.  FYI

Got ya

[boneaddict]

THere is a melanistic mallard flying around the north gap of Selah by the firing center exit.   I've seen him like three times.    He could have crossed, not sure but the way he wings etc, it looks more mallard than Cayuga.    Fiaherman of the Yakima (below Roza) probably have seen him.  He likes that stretch of river.

[TheSkyBuster]

Looks like a Dock Mallard,


 just like this one:



 





They don't taste all that bad with a little peanut butter and jelly on top.   

[boneaddict]

you killed someones pet