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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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