Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Mexican Duck
Scientific name:	Anas diazi
Date:	11/7/2022
Time:	3:38 pm
Length of time observed:	20 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	Male
Location:	Powell Lake, 489 Olive Pl, Lehi, UT, 84043
County:	Utah
Latilong:	40.382991, -111.902765
Elevation:	4,550'
Distance to bird:	Approx. 40 meters
Optical equipment:
Weather:	Overcast, very windy
Light Conditions:	Evenly overcast
Description: Size of bird:	Duck, mallard-like
(Description:) Basic Shape:
(Description:) Overall Pattern:
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Distinctly dark feathers across body with a contrastingly paler head. Dark eyestripe and dark stripe along the crown. Bright yellow beak. Body feathers were dark brown with lighter brown internal markings. Tail had minimal paleness on the outer feathers, and over and undertail coverts were consistently dark with the rest of the body. Speculum was not visible for the length of the observation. No curled tail feathers were observed in the field or in pictures. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	Did not make any sounds
Behavior:	Associating with a large flock of mallards on the pond, seen only swimming and drifting on the water. Appeared to be associating closely with a female mallard.
Habitat:	reedy pond
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Close proximity allowed for an easy comparison to female mallards. Duck in question was overall much darker and lacking white in the tail and undertail. Additionally, compared to male mallards, lacked any black tail markings or curl in the tail.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Have observed a Mexican duck on Utah Lake in April 2021 (identified by other observers) and a potential Mexican x mallard hybrid on the Lower Provo River Parkway in January 2022.
References consulted:	eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Merlin app, National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Marissa Reay
Observer's address:	1059 W 360 S
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	11/10/2022
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Will send the pictures shortly. Already uploaded on an eBird checklist [nnina]