what am i? 'duckling' found in garage

[BlacksheepCardigans]

The wild sea and lake ducks are wintering in Europe right now, so you've got a wide range. I posted on your other thread that I'd be looking at scoters and scaups and shovelers. Wild ducks change color so dramatically as they grow, and I'm not familiar enough with them, so I'm not getting a lot of hints from his down or leg color.

 

[spish]

would a 'visiting' bird settle down to hatch out ducklings though? i think it must be a native species since it was 'born' here...had a look at some googled pics of the birds you mention but none seem right (though i have seen scaups in the area butcant find pictures of their young online)

 

[slackwater]

here is a pic of a dark-colored baby swan

http://pulsar.ca.astro.it/pulsar/psr/marta/Como/Como 027bis.jpg

 

[desertdarlene]

I think it's a tree duck, possibly from a wild mama. I don't know what kind exists in Belgium, though. The bumps on its bill may be a sign of an abcess. Also, it doesn't look all that great, healthwise.

 

[spish]

but would an abcess cause two bumps, the same size and shape, on the same part of the bill on each side of the bill? he doesnt look in great shape but isnt thin and has a good appetite. its just the bald patch round the eye that concerns me healthwise. for the rest he just looks in good need of a wash!
i dont know if they have tree ducks in belgium..i'll have to have a look

 

[spish]

Quote:
thanks for the pic but nope looks nothing like that

 

[desertdarlene]

There was someone here who had a black-belled whistling tree duckling here on BYC and it looks similar to that kind, except they're native to Florida and areas south of there. However, I did look up tree ducks and found that some people do keep them in Europe as pets/poultry, but I'm still not sure about your area, though.

 

[spish]

perhaps it is a captive bred one then that has escaped from someones private collection? ive just looked up boom eend (dutch for tree duck) and have sure enough come up with pictures of tree ducks from people in belgium..and those long chunky legs sure do look promising

just looked up black bellied whistling tree ducks and they have really red beaks but this guys is a sort of grey tinted with a bit of pink
the legs are pinkish though
... perhaps a different sort of tree duck then...the search continues

 

[pirtykitty]

could it be a whistling duck????? I don't remember mine haveing the little raised spots on the bills though.. does it whistle???

Drats just noticed this little baby is in Belguim .. Don't think they have Blackbellied Whistling ducks in Belgium.. Just Texas, Louisana, Mexico, .

 

[pirtykitty]

The pink/red bills in whistling ducks don't show up for a long time this little darling is only a few weeks old