I have a large duckpond 30mx20m in the garden of my converted barn ans have just installed an island duckhouse - not quite MP standard but getting there! However, a farmer friend has told me that it is unlikely that wild duck will take up residence as they need to see all around them to feel safe and the duck house is to 'hemmed in' for them.
Is this true ? have I wasted time effort and cash to provide what I thought was a good shelter and great viewing for us from the barn ? If wild duck are not the answer , does anyone have any ideas on the 'idealduck' to buy for this set up ? I live in Norfolk by way of extra info.
Thanks
Why don't you see if you could rehome some domestic ducks (or maybe a couple of geese?) from a rescue centre? That way you'd be getting some ducks and helping animals in need of a nice fancy place to live, they might even reward you with eggs too! The other thing would be to contact a wildlife rescue centre and see if they are looking for somewhere to release any wildfowl.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
The wildlife enquiries team certainly receive lots of calls about mallard nests which appear in all sorts of unusual places such as enclosed gardens, in shrubs, bushes and even on high rise balconies! Nest sites are typically in ground cover, under boulders, inside hollow trees and equally likely then in man made structures such as artifical boxes or baskets. They aren't colonial but but nests are sometimes as little as 1m apart. Therefore, I so I see no reason to doubt that ducks wouldn't take to the island you have built if they are in the general area. You may even attract different water birds dependant on the surrounding habitat and location.
Islands such as you describe will provide not only nesting, but roosting and loafing sites secure from land-based predators, which is why many birds choose them in preference to mainland locations with similar habitat features, also their less likely to be disturbed by people or dog walkers etc..