This wild hybrid duck (Anas spp.) was seen at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve in April 2007 associating with American Wigeons (Anas americana).

When I photographed the ducks, I assumed that this bird was a Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), but looking at the photos, I realized that it lacked the vertical bar on the shoulder and the light, buffy color on the rump. Consulting the books, I concluded that the bird was a hybrid, but the parentage is uncertain, probably American Wigeon and either Eurasian Wigeon or American Green-winged Teal.

The duck could be an American Wigeon x American Green-winged Teal hybrid, a known hybrid form, based on the black rump pattern and the white lines on the face (between the red and green areas).

However, the duck could also be an American Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) hybrid, another known hybrid form, based on the oversized eye stripe (similar to some American x Eurasian hybrids), the dark breast, and size.

The unanimous consensus of the Nevada Birding Community (4 people commented) is that this is an American Wigeon x Green-winged Teal hybrid.

For someone who has looked at ducks for decades, this proves that there is always something new and interesting under the sun.