Interesting. I've read in the past that they cannot hybridise ( due to chromosonal differences) so 'stepfather' seems the correct title for him. The two adults seem evidently paired but are there also any Carolina drakes present? If not perhaps the male of some other species is the real father. What's your take on that FBBird?
It is a female Carolina Wood Duck, but it took me quite some time to work it out. Is it too fanciful to wonder to which species the ducklings belong?
Carolina.... They actually look more like Mandarin than Carolina ducklings -- too yellowy for the latter. Possibly something x Carolina. Mandarin x Carolina doesn't happen.
Hopefully the Carolina drake will turn out to be the father. He is of normal coloration, but I am wondering how the blonde factor works (i.e. if a parent is split for it if that is the correct term - my knowledge of the breeding of colour mutations is limited) and whether that could be the cause of the yellowy ducklings.
in NZ and Australia they are always called Carolina wood ducks, probably because of the Australian wood duck (Chenonetta jubata). I expect the same or a similar reason applies in other non-American countries.
Carolina..... Here in the UK they've always been Carolina (Wood) Ducks. Australian Wood Ducks are known here as Maned Geese.
If there's a Carolina drake present I imagine he will certainly be the father. Perhaps there are no Mandarin females so the drake has taken over this female - that or he just fancies her 'Blonde' factor' Afaik its recessive. Both parents would need to be split for it but the ducklings of blonde Carolinas would be much paler than this- the dark areas of their down would I think be fawn coloured, more like e.g. Buff Orpington ducklings. I think these ducklings will prove to be normal Carolinas.
