Last week two ducks appeared in my garden, they have returned every day, can anyone give me advice as to what I should feed then and why do they keep returning?
Not an answer but a question, I have had for the last 2 years a pair of gorgeous mallards, last year they came and went as and when, this year they appeared about 2 weeks ago, they sit by my pond for hours on end, them take off and come back when they feel, yesterday I heard this all mighty commotion when I went out to investigate there was a 2nd male with his beak around the females neck, and her " hubby " attacking going mad, I intervened and they all flew off , " My ducks" came back a little while later no worse for wear, HOWEVER today, low and behold 3 Males, that poor lass, again I intervened and they all flew off circling for some time and then about an hour later " My ducks " landed, they have been fine just chilling again by the pond and rummaging in the under growth, however went to give them some food and theres a ruby egg just sat there alone, shes not sitting on it and they don't appear to be interested, I am not sure what to do :-( any help would be appreciated.
Hi Deborah. Sdaly this is something that Mallards do. I witnessed it last week up in Cheshire. The groups of males tend to try to mate with lone females and force them under water as a group. It isn't pleasant to see. I thought they picked on unmated females, or at least those without an attendant male. Maybe that is not the case. With regards to the egg laying etc, you might wish to refer to this:
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)