Wildfowl hybrids

Duck, goose and swan oddities

Waterfowl or wildfowl (Anseriformes) are well known to be birds which hybridize (crossbreed) frequently, both in captivity (ex-situ) and in the wild (in-situ). Below you can find some of the hybrids as seen in the world. It occurs ducks, geese and swans can either hybridize interspecific (different species in the same genus) and intergeneric (different species of different genera), some of them being fertile, some not. Even odd hybrids such as mute swan (Cygnus olor) X greylag goose (Anser anser) and common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) X common eider (Somateria mollissima) have been described and photographed. Please note that hybrids can cause serious problems for captive populations, so should never be produced on purpose and should not be propagated by breeders. 

To make clear whether a "new" bird is a new species or not you may read the article about the Brewer's duck ("Anas breweri"). Nowadays, this bird is known as a hybrid between the Mallard duck and Gadwall. Read more...

Avian hybrids, by Jente Ottenburghs

Can Mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata) hybridize with other duck species? No! They can't!

And can hybrids lead to new species? Yes! They are so called hybrid species (Red-breasted goose, Hawaiian duck e.g.).

These and other questions will be answered at the Avian Hybrids Blog, by Jente Ottenburghs.

Paper (2021): Ottenburghs, J., & Harteman, J. (2021). Sexually dichromatic hybrids between two monochromatic duck species, the Chiloé wigeon and the Philippine duck. Ecology and Evolution, 00, 1– 4. 

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Goose hybrids; Anser and Branta types

Branta canadensis X Anser anser

Photo © Henry Lehto

Branta canadensis X Anser albifrons

Photo © Henry Lehto

Branta canadensis X Anser anser

Photo © Henry Lehto

Chen canagica X Branta hutchinsii minima

Photo © Ian Gereg

  

Chen canagica X Branta hutchinsii minima

Photo © Joern Lehmhus

Branta hutchinsii minima X Branta leucopsis

Photo © Ian Gereg

Branta hutchinsii minima X Branta ruficollis

Photo © Ian Gereg

Anser anser X Anser cygnoid

Photo © Joern Lehmhus

 

Anser anser X Anser cygnoid

Photo © Joern Lehmhus

 

Anser anser X Anser cygnoid

Photos © Joern Lehmhus

 

 

Anser anser X Anser cygnoid

© Joern Lehmhus

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Stiff-tailed duck hybrids; Oxyura types

 

Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis X Oxyura leucocephala

Photo © Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, UK

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Whistling duck hybrids; Dendrocygna types

 

Dendrocygna eytoni X Dendrocygna viduata

Photo © 2003, Danny Camerlinck

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Diving duck hybrids; Aythya and Netta types

 

Aythya affinis X Aythya novaeseelandiae

Photo © Jan Hareman

(taken at Sylvan Heights Bird Park, 2005)

Netta peposaca X Netta erythrophthalma

Photo © 2005 Jan Harteman

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Eider hybrids; Somateria types

 

Somateria spectabilis X Somateria mollissima

Photo © Yann Kolbeinsson

Somateria fischeri X Somateria spectabilis (left male, right female)

Photo © Oliver Adamczyk