Crested Duck

Rick,

I have seen some of these strange guys in the Fort Worth area. I believe that they are hybrids. There is some "mallard" in this guy judging from the overall shape and the curled tail feathers.

Very nice image. You handled the whites very well. Like the dark water.

Cool looking bird, Rick. You do get some weird crosses with domestic breeds sometimes.

Crested Duck~~~
Many people see crested ducks at feed stores and online. The crest appears to be adorable to some people leading them to purchase their first crested ducks. Unfortunately many people do not take the time to do the research behind the gene. The crested Gene is a genetic defect. The "Crest" in reality is just fatty tissue covering a gap in the skull. This gene is also linked to seizures and neurological problems. Breeding Crested ducks is even more of a challenge. Breeding 2 crested ducks is simply not advised and considered cruel by many people. Many will die in their shells as well as have their brains grow outside of the skull. The few ducklings that don't inherit the gene are most likely to hatch. Obviously when breeding for a crested duck that would be a problem. The recommended breeding strategy is to breed a heterozygous crested duck to a non crested duck. 50% of the ducklings should be crested while the remaining should hatch out normal. Also, when keeping crested hens for breeding you must be very careful your drake is not a overly aggressive breeder.

I love the almost monochrome feel to this. Nice job on the exposure and good pose.

I bet some perv clued that cotton ball on with some super glue
No matter, it's a great 'wide' open beak shot with an awesome reflection Rick.
Merry Christmas!

I took this photo in November at a local pond. I thought hybrid + mutation, but not sure. Thanks for the information.

Jim,
Crazy how much these two look alike except colors.
Here is a group shot of the gang that hangs out together 7/24 on Turtle Creek.
Shot at 1/45 sec so a bit soft due to movement.