# Mating Season Victim - View With Caution



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Mating Season Victim - Click The Link With Caution - Post Is Safe*

More sadness at the duck pond today. A female that had been there for a good while was floating at the far end of the pond. She was a victim of mating season brutality. 

There were no ducks in distress at the pond at 9:30 this morning. I found her dead at 3:30 this afternoon.

The pictures are of a dead, waterlogged, dirty, and injured duck, so look at your own risk.

http://www.rims.net/2006MarDuck

Terry


----------



## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Terry, 

That is so sad I never realized that male ducks could be so brutal to their potential mates....until you informed us/me. This seems to be so contrary to all other birds and their mating habits. 

I guess and for myself I'd rather see a duck or goose, die by the hands of it's own kind, than from the hands of cruel human. I know, it sounds like a double standard but that is the way I feel.

Sad pictures for sure


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Brad and all,

Not all types of ducks treat their ladies so bady .. it's just Mallards and the domestic breeds derived from Mallards way back when (and that's most of the domestic breeds). If there aren't sufficient females to go after, then the males will go after each other. This really is a tough time of year for female ducks.

I have to agree with you .. if one of them has to die, then I'd rather it be due to the natural behavior of the species and not some idiot human and/or his dog.

I appreciate you looking at the pictures .. I certainly don't expect many people to. My intent is not to gross anyone out but to educate a bit and to document for the doubting Thomases what really does happen.

Terry


----------



## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

That is so sad, Terry. I am sorry you have to go through this heartache almost daily.
I didn't look at the pic, sorry. But I can imagine what it is.
I can take illness, accidents, natural disasters, but not whatever is caused by humans, that is the worst.

I am so sorry for the sweet duck.

Reti


----------



## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

What a shame for the poor female. Hard to understand how that behavior would evolve in a species. Does it seem as if there are ususally more males than females in your area?


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

TerriB said:


> What a shame for the poor female. Hard to understand how that behavior would evolve in a species. Does it seem as if there are ususally more males than females in your area?


There often are more males than females in a given location, and that is very, very bad for the girls. With the wild Mallards, there isn't anything you can do about it. At least with the domestics you can try to keep the ratio to 3 or more females to every male. Then just about the time things are right, some idiot comes along and dumps a bunch of new ducks and upsets the ratios and the pecking order. When there are Mallards and domestics in the same place and there are a lot more males, you are pretty well sunk as the males will go after a wild or domestic female as opposed keeping to their own species.

Terry


----------



## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Wow, Terry, I never realized that this went on....thought you had your hands full enough with rescueing the dumpees and injured. Didn't know there was also this consideration to worry about. You continue to amaze me with all that you do. 

Linda


----------



## re92346mos (Jul 21, 2005)

Terry, I am so sorry, thats terrible, poor duck. I did not know mating season was that brutual with ducks. Rena


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks Linda and Rena. Mating season is a really, really rough time of year for Mallards and domestics living in the "wild". Then comes duckling season with an entirely different set of problems and sad situations to deal with. . 

Terry


----------



## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Terry,

I echo what others have said about your posts. While the pictures are disturbing and sad, your posts and the pictures have educated me about this issue of duck behavior during mating season. Thank you very much for sharing with us, and I wish you the best in your efforts.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Ah, that poor baby.....  

.....so if the ratio of males to females is out of proportion, that is due to people dumping off more males then females? Another abuse created out of ignorance and abandonment! @#[email protected]!

Thank you for the education, we all need it.


----------

