Doing the Bucket duck bob - why?

[pbjmaker]

One of our almost 8 week old ducks (named Bucket) bobs her head constantly. She looks like she should be wearing headphones and boppin' along to the beat.

Does anyone know why she does this?

She is one of 4 ducks (3 girls and their man), she hatched from the wrong end of the egg and remains the runt.

 

[Emzyyy]

Some ducks I think just walk differently but I don't know someone else would be able to answer better.

 

[pbjmaker]

She is bobbing her head even when she is sitting, standing still, etc. It only stops when she is sleeping.

 

[lilchick]

muscovy ducks will bob and move their heads alot more than other ducks .... what type of duck is she?

 

[pbjmaker]

She is a mallard/roen mix. I might have to try and get a short video clip of her tomorrow. I think I can make one on my camera.

 

[rainplace]

One of my silkies was like that. She can get her mate doing it also. She slowed down about a week ago. It seemed to me that it had to do with giving directions. I'm just guessing though. But she would bob, and then her mate would bob, and then she would go around one side of my lame duck and bob, and then her mate would go around the other side and bob, and then she would goose my lame duck and they would bob in unison. Or they would be standing still and she would bob and he would bob and then she would move in a certain direction. He would bob like he was saying, "okay" and then he would move to her and they would both bob in unison. It drove me nuts because I could never tell if she was bobbing to cause trouble or bobbing to move.

She has since calmed down a lot and rarely bobs at all 'cept when she's trying to goose my goose. For a while there I called them the bobsy twins.

Maybe it is stress related?

edited because two thoughts don't neccessarily make one sentence.

 

[rainplace]

Hrmm... what's happening with you may be different. I just did a google search using "ducks bobbing heads" and it looks like it mating behavior.

 

[DuckLady]

Rainplace is right.

Normally, it is duck version of a "come-on".

I call it the "hussy head-bob"

However, a vid will be helpful.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I like that! The "hussy head bob", because that's what seems to be going on when my gals do it. They get right along side a handsome boy and go to town with their bobbing. I once watched 3 ducks chase my Cayuga drake all doing "the bob". Poor guy can't get a break, it must be his charming good looks!

-Kim

 

[froggie71]

OUr ducks do this too. I think it' s funny when they do it to get the drakes attention and then when he does try to give his attention to them they then run away. Paying hard to get I guess