We’ll finish up our avian-themed day with this photo of a calico duck in St. James’s Park. I’ve always wanted a calico cat, but maybe a duck would be a good replacement?

So what kind of duck is this, anyway? To help you, I’ve posted a picture of a sign that allegedly identifies all the waterfowl in the park. I don’t see anything that really matches this duck’s coloring. In fact, I don’t see anything that even has a black head and an orange beak. But I’m not much of a bird person. Feel free to leave your educated guesses in comments.

UPDATE: Consensus is that it’s a common shelduck. But common or not, it’s still very pretty. I think a perfect household would have a pair of calico cats and a pair of common shelducks.

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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