Help - Duck Identification?

[PaulBoy]

Hi - Hope you can help (?)
I have become well accquainted with the various Mallards / Swans / Grebes etc on my local canal ...
I presumed the pair of ducks below were just some sort of Mallard cross breed (?) but noticed yesteday (didn't have the camera :bonk:) they have two chicks (1 male & 1 female) which are identical to the adults (?)
They are quite big ducks about half as big again as a Mallard
Can anyone identify what breed they are (tried to research online but no joy so far ...)

PAIR:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=202736796&size=m
MALE:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=202736797&size=m
FEMALE:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=202736799&size=m

Cheers ... Paul ;)

[Venomator]

Don't think you'll get a positive id on these two Paul ... they look like cross-breeds of the wild/domesticated type to me ... :p

Not much help I know but it does happen a lot in the duck world ... :naughty:

The other thing to bear in mind with ducks at this time of year is that they are well into moult and even mallards can be difficult to id at this time of year ... scruffy beggars ... :D

[Fangman]

I agree - look like a domestic cross. There are a lot of ducks crossed with the Ruddy Duck - a randy beast that are all over the place - so much so that a cull has been suggested. Great assortment on the river at York last week that defied identification.

[PaulBoy]

Thanks - I guess you're right just a pair of "freak ducks"!
Paul :thumbs: