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I've been unable to find anything on the Google resembling this bird. I took the photo in Virginia Beach, VA around 2010, October, I think... It appears to be between winter and summer plumage but I'm not sure. I tried looking on whatbird.com but couldn't find anything that really seemed to match up well.

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I've added some more photos since people seem to question whether or not the white is snow, for some reason. Also note that most seem to have a red bill with a black tip, while the one with more white on its breast has a largely black bill with just a red band. Do bills change colors when plumage does, is that a thing, or perhaps it's just an anomaly or a gender trait?

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't think there's seasonal plumage change going on here. The white patches seem to be driven snow. The bird on the left is plastered like the tree on the right. $\endgroup$
    – mgkrebbs
    Commented May 31, 2013 at 22:28
  • $\begingroup$ There is snow, but it's not all snow. Also notice that the bills are two different colors. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel B.
    Commented Jun 1, 2013 at 0:37
  • $\begingroup$ It looks like a male and a female with the female being smaller and read beaked. $\endgroup$
    – terdon
    Commented Jun 1, 2013 at 17:20
  • $\begingroup$ They don't really look like different sizes to me(at least, not drastic enough that I'd think it was a gender distinction...) the one on the left just has its head up and the one on the right has its head down. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel B.
    Commented Jun 1, 2013 at 23:50
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    $\begingroup$ Yes, looks like Cairina Moschata - Muscovy Duck. Native to Americas, domestic/semi-wild in Europe. $\endgroup$
    – Tomas
    Commented Jun 4, 2013 at 19:55

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I am not an ornithologist, but using identify.whatbird.com and a simple google search, this appears to be a Muscovy Duck. Try a google image search for yourself! Some of the birds pictured have more ostentatiously red or larger caruncles, but some look very similar to the birds you photographed. For example: http://www.birdinginformation.com/birds/ducks/muskovy-duck/

From muscovyduckcentral.com and identify.whatbird.com: The domestic breeds can come in a variety of colors, but are primarily black and white with red and white bills. The males are larger than the females -- around 15 lbs for a male and only 8 lbs for a female. Females are duller colored than the males. Muscovy ducks are indigenous to Mexico, Central and South America, but are now raised in many different locations. They are considered a good duck stock because they are large, breed quickly, provide good pest control, and are quieter than many other duck breeds.

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  • $\begingroup$ I used whatbird.com for VA and that didn't come up ... (as mentioned in my comments) Well, your google-fu is obviously superior to mine. Thanks :D $\endgroup$
    – Daniel B.
    Commented Jun 14, 2013 at 3:57
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    $\begingroup$ Aaaah, that'd be why it dodn't show up in VA. I would've thought it would take migration into account tho. Huh. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel B.
    Commented Jun 14, 2013 at 4:29

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