A question about Mallard Ducks

Hi Sparrow

Sorry about that, it made me cry too, it was heartbreaking. 

The swans are just as bad with their fighting as well, I try not to get to know the individual ones now, but it's hard not to. 

Anyway heres a pic for you of a nice peaceful pair of ducks  !   I expect to see lots of ducklings arriving soon, will try and get some pic's to post here.  There were lots here last year as well, although a lot did'nt survive,  what with Crows, Buzzards and Mink, but that's another story !!!  ( get your tissues ready ! )

 

MALLARDS- a personal statement :)

They get everywhere and breed, interbreed and crossbreed with almost any duck :(

They show characteristics of any plumage / neck ring/ white patch / etc....

I have a new attitude - I walk away and tick them all as mallards :))

 

S

Nicki C said:

Hi Linda

That is a sad story about the Female Mallard.  The Male Mallard must have felt some loyalty towards his partner poor soul.

Hope he found another Female to keep him happy in his life.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Hi Sparrow

You are right about the mallard drakes performing a "gang rape" on a female duck.  It can be very distressing to watch, especially  as sometimes there are so many males on the female that she drowns.

This happened by us last year and the poor drake who was the original partner of the female stayed by her body on the canal for at least three days, don't know what happened to him in the end I suppose he just gave up.

Nature can be very cruel indeed.

Linda

 

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Hi Kathy and Dave

I hope he found another female as well,  he looked so sad.  The trouble is there are'nt enough females to go round.   Are there more drakes born do you think or does anybody know ?

Hello Blackbird,

Whilst for the most part male mallards have yellow bills, there can be some variation in this colouration ranging from olivey green to pale blue and a green blue colour.

Both domestic and wild mallards can breed with other ducks, be they domestic or not and produce all sorts of variations in shape, size and colour and this can cause problems with identifications. Sometimes a giveaway to a hybrid mallard may be found in the curly tail feathers!

Claire

Hi MrsT

Interesting answer

Now that is something I did not know about the different coloration from one bird to another. I am sure that the Female ducks are different too, and they seem to disguise that fact a little better.  The only thing i notice is that their lovely brown flecked colouring can be lighter or darker with each individual duck.

The 'near' Female Pochard at Bedford Park Lake must have bred with a few male Mallards by now.  I wonder what the offspring end up looking like.  At least the Female Pochard is brown so that goes along with Female Mallards colouration.

The bird's curly tail does give it away and the tail feathers can be very curly at times.  Often wondered about that too.  The thing we discover about the most numerous duck we know

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Jennifer T said:

Hello Blackbird,

Whilst for the most part male mallards have yellow bills, there can be some variation in this colouration ranging from olivey green to pale blue and a green blue colour.

Both domestic and wild mallards can breed with other ducks, be they domestic or not and produce all sorts of variations in shape, size and colour and this can cause problems with identifications. Sometimes a giveaway to a hybrid mallard may be found in the curly tail feathers!

Claire

Hi all

Well this is all very interesting, I never realised that all this went on.  I don't think I will be able to look at a Mallard especially the drake in the same way again.  Poor females.

Thank you Claire for the clarification about why the different colours, it makes sense but I wasn't sure.

i have seen blue headed mallards, defo not a trick of the light as have numerous photos from all angles and in all lights
www.viewbug.com/.../96648595 if anyone would like to look at my wildlife photos and a pic of the blue headed mallard
cheers
J