Hybrid Ruddy Duck x Ring-necked Duck? Or a
Ruddy Duck with a weird bill?
Highway Tank, Pima County, south of Ajo, AZ
December 2, 2019
An apparent female Ruddy Duck with a Ring-necked Duck bill. A
cursory search
of the internet indicates that hybrids of "stifftails" are rare in North
America.
I could not find any examples that looked like this one.
It has been suggested that this is just a Ruddy Duck with a
messed up bill.
Otherwise it looks like a typical Ruddy Duck.
I have no explanation for how the bill ended up
looking like this.
I guess it has had an interesting life.
The general consensus is that this is a 100% Ruddy Duck with
an odd bill. Thanks to everyone who commented.