Catching wild baby ducks

[desertdarlene]

I hope it turns out OK. It could be a human-caused issue. Just yesterday, someone had some ducklings that were living in their pool and wildlife rescuers took them and said they released them in a nearby pond without their mother. They were only two weeks old. I hope these aren't the same ones, they were from Texas.

Food is a good way to lure them. Once you get them far enough away from water, you can cut them off and prevent them from going back into it and it will be a lot easier to catch them.

 

[LemonberryMoon]

We are in Oregon. After 3 hours this morning we finally got one. Taking a lunch break and going back for the others. We watched an adult female just about kill two of them, it was so sad!

 

[LemonberryMoon]

Also, does anyone know how old they look? They don't have feathers yet, but they are bigger than the brand new babies I see at the pond. 1-2 weeks maybe?

 

[seashoreduck]

Why don't you provide them with plenty of food and let them be wild? Perhaps a big dish of sarter food and peas? Food is vital for them right now, even more than predation. Feed them for a week without trying to catch them and just hope the weather stays warm. If they don't trust you by then atleast they will be a bit older.

 

[LemonberryMoon]

Why don't you provide them with plenty of food and let them be wild? Perhaps a big dish of sarter food and peas? Food is vital for them right now, even more than predation. Feed them for a week without trying to catch them and just hope the weather stays warm. If they don't trust you by then atleast they will be a bit older.

They won't be kept as pets, but if we leave them where they are they will surely die, one already has and we watched two more almost die today.

 

[desertdarlene]

They look to be 2 weeks old and, yes, they need a mom. If you catch them and turn them in to a rehabber, they will take them. You can tell them what you told us with one dying and no sign of a mom.

If it were me, I would catch them if I can especially since you've seen one dead and the others almost get killed.

 

[MDon240]

Based on your pictures provided they look at be at least 5-6 weeks old in which case they will not need parental guidance anymore and will basically "monkey see monkey do" with the rest of it's flock given that it is not socially out casted, but ducks are socialites, so that is unlikely (only a brooding mother or in heat drake will pose such aggression).

I'd like to add that domesticated mallard tend to be twice as big as free range, and some domesticated mallard have bred back into the wild.

Having raised both, a tell tale sign of which is domestic if all else fails is behavior. Domesticated breeds are more docile, not so skittish and easily startled. The free ranged ones, even if domesticated ones are bred back into the wild, are always on alert for predators and are easily startled even after they have become familiar with you. Their eye sight is emaculate but from afar you are an approaching figure and is the best time to determine the difference in your flock until they recognize you up closer.