Still confused about Silver/Snowy

Senna95

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Okay, so after looking at all the photos I could find, and reading what I could, I'm still confused.......

Holderread says that snowy should have an enlarged wing speculum, but also that the dusky gene obsecures the wing speculum. And snowy is dusky phase harlequin.......
The Ashtons say pretty much the same thing about Silvers.

Various people have told me that most snowies don't have the wing speculum, but some of the photos I've seen show a wing speculum, and others don't. Though in some of the photos it's hard to tell because of the lighting and picture quality. Also, the coloring on the head of the females varies a lot: anywhere from almost white to very dark.

Personally, I think that the wing speculum is beautiful...... For those that hadn't read my earlier post about snowy mallards, I have a female with a white head, slight eye stripe, and a speculum. I think she must be missing the dusky gene.... I'm hoping to breed more of them.

Question is... which is it? does the snowy have a wing speculum or not?

PICTURES APPRECIATED!
 
Are you asking if they have speculums at all or if they have a blue speculum? Yes, they have speculums. No, they aren't typically blue.

Editing to add- I think I already mentioned this via PM quite awhile ago, but I can't remember so thought I would mention it again. Keep in mind that some of the pattern that is obscured by dusky is partially restored by harlequin phase (speculums, neck ring, etc..). A regular dusky mallard bird (dark phase dusky) looks completely different from a harlequin phase dusky. You can find pictures of dark phase dusky online, for example Dark Campbells and Dusky Hookbills. Compare these birds to Snowies/Silvers to see the difference that just the addition of harlequin phase makes.

Anyway, other than that- I think I have already shared all of my thoughts on this genotype. Maybe you can get some other opinions on some of the discrepancies in information that you see. It is really not a terribly difficult color to understand once you understand the basics of how the colors are built.
 
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Hi Dana, I figured you'd respond to this, and yes, we have talked about it before. I didn't realize that harlequin phase restored some of the original mallard pattern, though that makes sense. This is why I ask, to learn more......

thanks
 
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I'm going to have to send you some more pictures of my Runners. The girls look Dusky, they have no eyestripes or speculums, but I just got a picture of one of the older drakes that I sold earlier this year, in his nuptial plumage - he has a claret breast and a white neck ring!
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Sorry to meander from the topic, Senna95!
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That is entirely possible, annarie. I know we have talked about the probability that some of your birds are m+/m^d. It is also certainly possible that some (or all) are light phase (or even possibly harlequin phase as well).
 
Annarie, I have one of those as well... just one female, and the rest are regular trouts and greys (Dana, I think it was me you talked to about that).

I love this website..... has tons of information I can't find in the books. Thanks all!

Sorry for all the questions, but I'd rather make informed desisions rather then breed a whole bunch of ducks randomly......
 

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