This very striking drake, found yesterday on Earls Barton GP’s Mary’s Lake by Kim Taylor, looked initially like it might be an American Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid but it soon became clear it is actually a Chiloe Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon.
It’s an amazing-looking bird which matches known hybrids. A potential pitfall for American Wigeon, perhaps, but green area too extensive, crown yellowish and inextensive and flanks heavily suffused grey.
But what would it look like in eclipse? Check the axillary colour: white in American, grey in Eurasian and in this individual, as Bob’s images, above, so neatly illustrate.
Northants birds 