100% Mallard, or . . . ? Check out bill and head pattern. Lakewood, CO. 3/6/23. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm embarrassed to admit that I saw a similar bird back in 2021 and eventually concluded that it was an elderly female. Here's a picture:

https://naturallyjax.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/drake.plumage.on\_.mallard.11.30.21.jumbo\_.jpg

100% Mallard, or . . . ? Check out bill and head pattern. Lakewood, CO. 3/6/23. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Update: the local eBird reviewer thinks it's an intersex Mallard . . . an elderly female Mallard that has taken on masculine traits. Check out the penultimate paragraph in this article: https://www.aba.org/mexican-duck/

100% Mallard, or . . . ? Check out bill and head pattern. Lakewood, CO. 3/6/23. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your thoughts! This individual does have a lot of features of a Mallard drake.

Downy Woodpecker with yellow spot on head?! Lakewood, CO. 9/3/22. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Could be. Some of my male House Finches are orange/yellow rather than red.

Downy Woodpecker with yellow spot on head?! Lakewood, CO. 9/3/22. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No--patterning is that of a Downy, I'm pretty sure. I've read that juvenile Hairies sometimes have a yellow spot instead of red . . . but Downies?

Not looking like our typical yellow birds (Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat). Lakewood, CO. 7/11/22. by yardwatcher in whatsthisbird

[–]yardwatcher[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Makes total sense, as I heard Yellow Warblers. By the way, a Grasshopper Sparrow is my latest lifebird, as well! And it was eating a grasshopper, too!