Gadwall Returning it to the Wild????????????

[tia]

I was out by a creek next to the bay today and saw a beautiful gadwall drake. Someone gave me "Jet" a year ago - he was found as a duckling wandering around inside our airport. He is a gadwall drake, all the same beautiful colorings as this one, but I think he is a little smaller. I wonder if he would make it in the wild if I let him go. I wish there was some way to do a test. I think he would be so much happier as my runners aren't too fond of him and he is a wild duck. I would hate to see him harmed if I was wrong though. He is such a sweetie. He loves the water. This wild one was eating in the little creek. Has anyone raised a wild duck and then released it???

 

[easttxchick]

I really don't know. I think I would be afraid that Jet was too domesticated to readjust to the wild.
I could be wrong, of course, and maybe his instincts would kick in and he would be fine.
Sheesh-that's a hard call to make.

Sorry, I am no help.

 

[ericdc]

bring him to a refuge where lots of ducks are. I bet he'll catch on pretty quick.

 

[KansasKid]

Even in a refuge he can fly away to an unprotected area where being domesticated as he is will see human(hunters) as little to no threat and could easily be harmed if not killed.

 

[tia]

There is no protected area here. I was dreaming of being free for him. There is a bird treatment center 300 miles away and I might try talking to them again, to see if they could do anything form him.

 

[desertdarlene]

You can try finding someone or some organization involved with rehabilitating wild animals who might help you. But, I wouldn't just let him go. He will miss you badly! Also, it's hit or miss whether or not he will adapt to the wild, too, after being raised with a human.

Another option is to pick up a couple of mallard females for him if you can't find any gadwall females. The gadwalls in my area love the mallard females and have even produced some hybrids. He might be happier with something that is more like him than the runner ducks.

 

[tia]

Thanks... I like him, but just want him to be happy.... so the mallard females might be the best.

 

[desertdarlene]

Good luck!

 

[The Duck ABC's]

You have missed the window for him to go back to the wild. He has been to much domesticated and does not know the people mean bad news for him. I would say get him a mallard girl and he will be happy. The other option you have is not to trim his wings and see what he does. He may start to explore. You never know, you can leave it up to him. My wild female duckling left in the fall 3 years ago. She has been back on the property next door since with a drake raising her own babies.

 

[tia]

Well Jet went to a new home today. The woman that took him lives 10 miles out of town and has covered part of the creek that runs by her house with a huge net on a frame, and it is fenced. There is a little house for the ducks and a bank along the creek to crawl out on. Three female ducks live there, and he is the only drake. The females are a little bigger than him, but much smaller than the runners. He went right to into the creek and was diving and flapping around and looked as happy as a kid at Disneyland. It beats the heck out of a tub and a kiddie pool. The woman and her husband said they would call me if it didn't work out, and I could come and get him. They also welcomed me back any time to visit him. I think he will be so much happier...I'm missing my little guy, but think that is a much better environment for a wild duck and hopefully they females will welcome him.