Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
This bird loves the coastal zone along the Gulf of Mexico. Looking similar to female Mallards, Mexican Ducks, or American Black Ducks, they sometimes will hybridize with them, especially with the more sexually aggressive Mallards. Such interbreeding poses a threat to the future of purebred Mottled Ducks.
In south Florida,they are sometimes called the Florida Duck. Most taxonomists view this population as a different subspecies than those living along the gulf from Louisiana to Tabasco, Mexico. Most Mottled Ducks do not migrate far from the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, but a few of them have wandered as far north as Kansas.
There is some disagreement among scientists about subspecies within the Mottled Duck populations. Some view them as monotypic, but others call for two subspecies:
- A. f. Fulvigula lives in Florida.
- A. f. Maculosa lives on the Gulf coast, which is said to be darker than the Florida Duck.
As all my experiences with Mottled Ducks were with Texas birds, I would expect they were the A. f. Maculosa subspecies. On South Padre Island, the Mottled Ducks I met were not shy. If I remained still, they would waddle past me within a few feet, and provide an opportunity to capture a head-shot portrait.
20 Photos
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand, then I scouted the neighborhood and roadsides for birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:06 9:20 |
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Location:
Various Locations |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D500934-PortIsabel-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand, then I scouted the neighborhood and roadsides for birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:06 9:29 |
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Location:
Various Locations |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 360 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D501156-PortIsabel-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Ducks are common along the gulf coast of the USA and Mexico. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 9:39 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D500069-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Bright bill on this bird suggests it is an adult male. Mottled Ducks look quite like American Black Ducks, but these birds prefer the Gulf Coast, while the Black Duck stays close to the Atlantic seaboard. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:02 10:58 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D502283-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: The olive drab bill on this bird suggest it is an adult female. Mottled Ducks look quite like American Black Ducks, but these birds prefer the Gulf Coast, while the Black Duck stays close to the Atlantic seaboard. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:02 10:59 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D502292-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: Mottled Ducks are common along the gulf coast of the USA and Mexico. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 8:25 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D509596-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: Mottled Ducks are common along the gulf coast of the USA and Mexico. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 8:25 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D509598-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Near the Convention Center, these relatives of Mallards remain year-round. Last spring I learned how productive South Padre Island can be for birding. This was my first visit in winter, and it did not disappoint. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:19 12:00 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X2507-SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Ducks are a specialty of the Texas Gulf Coast. There are wetlands that the South Padre Island Convention Centre (free access) and the Birding & Nature Center (admission fee required) share. My previous visits to the wetlands had been to the Convention Centre. On this day I would find out why folks pay money to see the marsh, when there is free access next door. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:08 9:38 |
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Location:
South Padre Island WBC |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/500 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X0034SouthPadre-WBC |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Duck drakes have yellowish bills, while the hen’s bill is darker. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 12:35 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X7523-SPI_ConventionCenter |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Up close and personal. April on South Padre Island provides me with close encounters like no other place I’ve ever visited. By most experienced birders here, it will only get better in the coming weeks. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:04 9:57 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X0423-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Duck hen with ten chicks. With a momentary lull in warbler migration on South Padre Island, I paid my admission to the Birds and Nature Center to attempt catching subjects that don’t make many appearances at the Convention Centre. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:08 15:49 |
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Location:
South Padre Island WBC |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X3215-SPI_BirdNatureCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: The next generation of Mottled Ducks learned how to forage on the marsh. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 16:10 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X8707-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mother Duck was giving a tour of the grounds to her offspring. My stay at the Convention Centre was relatively brief this Thursday. There was a lull in the migration, but even on a slow day good things can occur here. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:22 12:17 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X0910SPI_ConventionCentre |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: Mother Duck was giving a tour of the grounds to her offspring. My stay at the Convention Centre was relatively brief this Thursday. There was a lull in the migration, but even on a slow day good things can occur here. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:22 12:23 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/3000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X0973SPI_ConventionCentre |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Momma duck likes to bring her babies to the water and put on a show. It was a bright Sunday on South Padre Island, and I stayed over 9 hours. I started the morning with an hour at Sheepshead Sanctuary and drove to the Convention Centre for the rest of the day, and met a couple of birds new to me. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:02 16:19 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X5297_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Ducks are constant fixtures in south Texas. Spend a day at the SPI Bird and Nature Center (BNC) and there will surely be some interesting birds for your entertainment. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:03 8:45 |
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Location:
South Padre Island Nature Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_8507600-SPI-BirdNatureCenter |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
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Description: Mottled Duck are perpetual visitors to the marshes shared by the South Padre Convention Center and the SPI Birding and Nature Center. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:18 11:44 |
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Location:
South Padre Island Bird and Natu |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_8504368-SPI-BNC |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: Mother Duck was giving a tour of the grounds to her offspring. My stay at the Convention Centre was relatively brief this Thursday. There was a lull in the migration, but even on a slow day good things can occur here. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:22 12:23 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/3000 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X0954SPI_ConventionCentre |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Mottled Duck(Anas fulvigula) |
|
Description: The next generation of Mottled Ducks learned how to forage on the marsh. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 16:11 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: MottledDuck_D5X8716-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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