Ducks killing/eating wild Sparrow

[kaitkait]

I went outside a few minutes ago to check on the flock and found our Cayuga drake trying to gobble down a dead sparrow. our female Pekin also tried to take the sparrow when I scared him into dropping it.

not sure if it was already dead or if they killed it, we've always had those pesky doves and sparrows eat our feed and our chickens and ducks never reacted to them, but this one looked like its neck was broken and its legs were broken as well. died fairly recently. what's with this?? it's possible our drake could have killed it, he's been very aggressive as of late, but sparrows are usually pretty fast.

 

[needlessjunk]

Hmm, I don't know what to think. Mine will let birds get really close and don't usually do much except chase them off. However today a young grackle was on the side of the pool on one of my ducks thought that was too close and snapped at it. She got him too and it took him a while to recover. None of the other ducks had any interest in it while it was on the ground recovering. But the one that snapped at it was in the pool still. I have also seen Muscovies eat rats and mice so I think it could go either way.

 

[caesargirl]

Mine will eat any critter they can! There were a few baby blue jays that didn't make it to adulthood....

 

[lorpesrule]

Yes!!
The sparrows that get to close my 70 or so free range ducks get dashed at and as they fly off the drake shoots out its neck, grabs the sparrow and shakes it like a dog with a snake, than the chase is on for him to get away with the floppy bird from the rest of the flock.
The sparrow usually gets pulled apart or swallowed whole.That free-range for you!!!!

 

[QuackSpeak]

Yes!!
The sparrows that get to close my 70 or so free range ducks get dashed at and as they fly off the drake shoots out its neck, grabs the sparrow and shakes it like a dog with a snake, than the chase is on for him to get away with the floppy bird from the rest of the flock.
The sparrow usually gets pulled apart or swallowed whole.That free-range for you!!!!

@lorpesrule ,

That's interesting that your ducks do that - What type are they? I had Cayuga ducks, and they wouldn't hurt a fly (Actually, they did eat flies..). And 70 ducks, you say??

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

Quote: With all those ducks, its probably mob rule
But seriously, my ducks have never chased birds, and thank heaven there are no mice or rats around their pen...
Maybe it does have something to do with the breed and temperment....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes!!
The sparrows that get to close my 70 or so free range ducks get dashed at and as they fly off the drake shoots out its neck, grabs the sparrow and shakes it like a dog with a snake, than the chase is on for him to get away with the floppy bird from the rest of the flock.
The sparrow usually gets pulled apart or swallowed whole.That free-range for you!!!!

@lorpesrule Do you also feed them along with free ranging? I've seen mine eat mice and frogs and found a Cardinal dead out by their feed bowl. But I have never seen mine eat a bird. Not saying they haven't I just haven't ever seen them do it.
Mine do get feed freely also.
Welcome to BYC!

 

[Pardis]

I went outside a few minutes ago to check on the flock and found our Cayuga drake trying to gobble down a dead sparrow. our female Pekin also tried to take the sparrow when I scared him into dropping it.

not sure if it was already dead or if they killed it, we've always had those pesky doves and sparrows eat our feed and our chickens and ducks never reacted to them, but this one looked like its neck was broken and its legs were broken as well. died fairly recently. what's with this?? it's possible our drake could have killed it, he's been very aggressive as of late, but sparrows are usually pretty fast.

My duck hunted two sparrows last week and then ate them. I barely could believe my eyes and since that day I am really scared to get close to them. The way he hunted the sparrow was really horrifying, first, he grabbed it then started to crashing it to the ground and broke its neck and at the end threw it away in a corner to eat it. this happened for two days each day one sparrow. now there is no sparrow in our yard.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your afraid of your ducks? No telling how many living things they eat that we don’t see them them do. Snakes frogs lizards