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.
 

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