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YELLOW BELLY
STANDARD BWA 2008
Male
Head and
Neck:
Black with green lustre on
the head and upper neck; a distinct white collar
almost encircling the neck. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Green, dark
bean.
Back: Grey
shading to greenish black over the rump.
Breast: Claret
for the upper part and most of the breast area, shading to pinkish
buff near the belly.
Flanks, etc. Light
grey with dark grey stippling, changing to buff on the lower parts;
abdomen light buff; light grey near the vent.
Tail: Medium
dull brown, paler outer feathers; coverts and undertail black with
green lustre. Wings: Primaries
and tertials grey. Speculum blue bordered by black then white.
Coverts brownish grey except for greater coverts which are tipped
with white then black. Main
scapulars clear steel grey, outer edge bronze tinge. Cream/ white
underwing. Legs: Dull
orange, darker webs.
Female
Head and
neck: Buff
chestnut with dark graining along the crown and all the way down
the back of the neck to join the shoulder colour without a break.
The remainder of the face, throat and neck rich pinkish buff except
for a dark line through the eye and the suggestion of a lower line
from the bill. The eyebrows are a shade lighter than those of the
Mallard. Eyes: Brown. Bill: Dark
orange with brown saddle and dark bean.
Back: Buff
chestnut with darker pencilling (chevrons).
Breast and Flanks:
Pinkish buff. Underbody light buff.
Tail: Dull
dark buff, irregularly marked with brown; darker tail feathers in
the centre than the outer edges.
Wings: Primaries
brownish slate. Speculum and
its borders as drake. Tertials
browner than primaries on exposed half. Coverts
same colour as back. Scapulars similar to the Rouen. Cream/ white
underwing.
Legs: Dull
orange, darker webs.
Note Both
male and female Yellow Belly ducks strongly resemble the wild
Mallard colour ‘above the water-line’. ‘Below the waterline’, on
the lower breast, flanks and abdomen,
the colours are dominated by pale
pinkish buff, hence the name ‘Yellow Belly’. However, the faces
of the females also have rich pinkish buff coloured markings.
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