Today I noticed this mallard with a strange lump on his beak. At first I thought it might be an object stuck in his nostril, but it seems more like a growth instead. It's much larger than a normal duck nostril and seems fused into the beak. Does anyone know what this could be? Should I be worried about the other waterfowl in the area (for instance, if it is caused by a viral infection)? He seemed healthy, alert, and active otherwise.
None of us are vets so thats a really hard question to answer. By the looks of your photo you were able to handle this bird which is concerning - Is it in a place where there are rangers or people who act as guardians for the waterfowl or are they wild? If so it might be worth notifying them
Cin J
They're technically wild I think (though I've heard rumours that some birds here were purchased from a farm) and are free flying, but most birds in this area are pretty tame. I thought this duck had a stuck object in his beak, but upon catching him (sorry little duck) and getting a better look I realised this might be something else. I'll try to contact the groundskeepers, but I'm not sure how much they'll do, I'm unsure of the extent to which they actually care for the birds and there is no mention on their website about what to do if we see wildlife in distress. I can also try reaching out to the local wildlife and waterfowl rescue and showing them this image, they may know what might be going on here.
I think sending the photo to the local wildlife, waterfowl rescue is a good plan - as at the very least they will be aware then that there is a bird that might need assistance - as you say it does look like something is obstructing the nostril