[See a problem? Check the foot. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]"Does it have a hind claw?"
Turns out the answer to Michael O'Brien's question was not only no, but careful examination in the field and of photos reveal that the Black-bellied Whistling Duck appears to have NO claws on either foot. Not good evidence for a bird of wild provenance. A quick check of a couple sources reveals no logical explanation, other than that they were cut or pulled.
[Right foot, too. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]
[The Black-bellied Whistling-duck flew just fine, but this photo reveals another problem with the bird. Mallards can vary in size, but compare the whistling-duck to the Mallard in this photo, and then check the measurements listed in Sibley or Pyle. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]
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