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PeepsInc · 08/02/2009 10:18 am

I have 2 white call duck hens. I haven't stopped shopping for a drake,but. I was wondering, if I took them to my parents pond where there are wild wood ducks. Will the wild ducks cross with my call duck hens? I was thinking about trying this next spring. Do wood ducks pair up & mate for life? I know that generally ducks are attracted to what ever females resemble it's mother.(Been proven by switching duck eggs around) Another words if I had a White call duck sit on a woody's egg,the woody that hatches should be attracted to white calls...... My question is will a wild one breed a white call with out all the egg switching?

Scott · 08/02/2009 12:25 pm

If I am not mistaken, I have read that a mallard and a call duck can cross and have ducklings. I am not 100% sure on that, but I think it is possible. I know that call ducks were originally bred from mallards, so it should be possible that they can breed and produce young.

Last edited by Scott (08/02/2009 12:32 pm)

Annarie · 08/02/2009 1:35 pm

I doubt a wild Wood Duck would be attracted to your white calls, unless he was really desperate. wink

I'm pretty sure it's possible though. I've heard of some pretty crazy hybrids. I don't think it'll ever happen unless you buy a captive-bred Wood Duck drake and pen him with the Calls so that he has no other options.

rlhbond · 08/02/2009 5:08 pm

My experience is limited but, my males ducks will mate with whatever female happens to be around. It has less to do with the color pattern of their mother and more to do with availability. Secondly, my captive raised mallards have bred with wild mallards. I don't know anything about wood ducks but it seems like it would be possible.

iamcuriositycat · 08/02/2009 7:50 pm

Hello,

I can't say for certain, but I think it's highly unlikely that any eggs from a wood duck/call duck mating would be fertile. Even though they are all ducks, wood ducks are in fact a separate species from all domestic ducks, most of which are descended from mallards. It *might* be possible for a mallard to cross with your calls if there is not too large a size disparity, but the wood ducks are an almost certain "no."

Of course, nature often offers up surprises, so anything's probably possible. Good luck anyway!

Heather

Wolf-Kim · 08/02/2009 8:58 pm

I think you have a better chance of wild Mallards breeding your calls than wood ducks. Not saying that it is impossible for wood ducks to breed your calls, I just think it's unlikely.

On another note, please be very careful attempting to let your calls breed with wild drakes. To do this you are going to have to turn your calls loose on a wild pond. You have turtles, coons, fox, hawks, and owls to worry about when turning those precious calls onto a pond that's not fenced and covered. Also, if you calls aren't wing trimmed or pinioned, they could very well fly away with or from the pursuits of the wild drakes.

-Kim

cawooduck · 08/03/2009 1:09 am

Its quite possible that wood ducks could cross with call ducks. Ive seen pictures of a wood duck x mallard before, neat looking duck, but not recommended to be done on purpose.

Most of the time wood ducks are not monogomous in the wild, once the hen goes broody he will look for another single hen to breed. I have had woodies stay monogomous in captivity before, but then they dont have the choice of flying all over the place either in search of other mates and places to reside.

iamcuriositycat · 08/03/2009 3:29 am

Well, whadaya know. Cawooduck, I stand corrected. And to back up what you said about the mallard (derivative) X wood duck, here is an interesting tidbit:

http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v065n03/p0451-p0451.pdf

And from wikipedia (read the section on genetic pollution):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallard

Both sources confirm that the mallard (and therefore its derivatives) is a separate species from wood ducks (and other species of duck), but that interbreeding is actually quite common.

Thanks for the correction cawooduck. smile I am always glad to learn something new.

And I second that it's nevertheless probably not a good idea, however cool the offspring are likely to be. smile

duckboatprincess · 08/03/2009 9:43 am

I wonder though if you did cross a call duck and a wood duck whaqt would happen. Are the offspring mules like with scovies?

cawooduck · 08/04/2009 2:29 pm

iamcuriositycat wrote:
Well, whadaya know. Cawooduck, I stand corrected. And to back up what you said about the mallard (derivative) X wood duck, here is an interesting tidbit:

Thanks for the correction cawooduck. I am always glad to learn something new.

And I second that it's nevertheless probably not a good idea, however cool the offspring are likely to be.

Eh Heather,

I wasnt trying to correct you at all, just making an observative point!! Those are some good reads you posted as well, thank you!
I will try to find the picture of the woodie X Mallard and post it up.

Just as they say Mandarins cannot cross with wood ducks, its been proven otherwise, although very rare, offspring have been produced between the two breeds.

Have a good day!!...........Jason

Last edited by cawooduck (08/04/2009 2:32 pm)

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