Mulard (Muscovy duck/Mallard)

Some kind of domesticated duck

As can be seen by these new images (hopefully) this is way to big to be a duck hybrid but must be a goose hybrid of some type the problem is what species ie - Ross's Snow Goose x Comb Duck as been mentioned on another site).

I saw at least 3 myself in different places on my visit (12/04/2014)

No, its a duck hybrid- Muscovy x Domestic Mallard type e.g. Aylesbury. The Muscovy drake lends the greater size plus you are only seeing it here in comparison wih wild-type mallards which are a lot smaller than domestics, so that it looks enormous. The bill colour and markings would be from the Muscovy parent also.

This cross is infertile and sometimes called a 'Mulard'.

Many thanks both never gave Muscovy duck a thought so Muscovy x Mallard hybrid it is Mulard goes down as Lifer in the Hybrid list for me again thank you.

ID please?

I believe these hybrids have been bred commercially in France for foie gras production.

ID please?

While it's quite a handsome bird, I hate to see duck ponds in zoos cluttered up with domestics when they should have wildfowl.

I think its often due to cost- when the exotic waterfowl get killed or gradually die off they get replaced by some cheap Domestics which for most people still fit the bill- 'ducks'. I agree they don't make an attractive or interesting display though.