158 RIVER AND POND DUCKS 



(c) bill and nail, greenish yellow, (d) darker in colora- 

 tion than female Mallard, and more heavily marked 

 below, (e) breast-feather shows central U-shaped 

 marking. 



ADULT FEMALE. General effect: A large, mottled- 

 brown duck. Chief distinguishing features (a) hind toe 

 without lobe, (b) speculum, bordered in front and 

 behind with black and white bars, white bar in front, 

 sometimes marked with dusky or buff, or in some 

 Breast feathers of New Mex- cases entirely lacking, (c) bill, dusky on ridge, brilliant 

 lean Duck. Left, Male. Right, orange on sides, with black nail, (d) darker in colora- 

 Female. tion than female Mallard and more heavily streaked 



below, (e) breast-feathers show terminal dusky dot, 

 and central dusky bar. 



The speculum will separate both sexes from the other mottled-brown ducks, 

 namely, the Black, Florida, and Mottled Ducks, which lack the white bars in front 

 of, and behind the speculum, and from the female Pintail. 



FIELD MARKS 



Same as for the female Mallard, from which it can be separated in the field 

 by its much brighter-coloured bill and by its somewhat darker coloration; lacks 

 white tail of the Mallard. Often found in association with Mallards. The New 

 Mexican Duck is seldom encountered outside its restricted range. 



LIFE STORY 



The following account of the New Mexican Duck is condensed from 

 an article by Wharton Huber, in Bent (1923). 



"In the valley of the Rio Grande River from El Paso, Texas, north 

 to Albuquerque, New Mexico," this duck makes its home. "Whether on 

 the mud flats in the river, the numerous alkali ponds, or cat-tail swamps 

 through the valley, this duck is ever watchful and wary of man. 



"During the months of April and early May, 1920, I watched the 

 courtship of several pairs of these ducks along the Rio Grande River. 

 . . . Two, three, and sometimes five, New Mexican Ducks could be seen 

 on the mud flats in the middle of the river, as often with flocks of Mal- 

 lards as alone. When with a flock of Mallards they would stay together 

 and not mix with the former. The male could be seen bowing to the 

 female and occasionally pecking and pulling at her wing feathers. When 

 on the water the male would swim close to the female he had chosen, 

 generally behind her, swim close up and pull at her feathers quacking 

 all the while. If another (presumably a female) came too close he would 

 swim rapidly at the intruder until she was driven to a safe distance. Re- 

 turning to his prospective mate he would bob his head up and down a 

 number of times quacking contentedly. Early in May these ducks were 

 evidently mated as they were always seen in pairs or single birds. . . . 



"While watching a pair of the ducks on a mud flat in the middle of 

 the Rio Grande River ... I witnessed a very interesting performance. 

 Both ducks took flight simultaneously, rising in the air at an angle of 

 about 30 degrees. They were flying slowly, their wings seeming to raise 

 higher than in ordinary flight, both quacking incessantly. . . . Making a 



