Has your mallard flown away?

[Tia Z.]

I'm coming to terms (slowly) that my mallard drake is gone. Only thing is I don't see any sign of struggle. Is it normal for the male mallards to fly away? I should preface that by saying this duck was very attached to me and was more like a dog than a duck. It's been missing since this morning. Should I hold out any hope of its return or come to terms with the fact that I lost my favorite duck?

 

[chicks4kids]

I had a male and a female last year that I raised from babies and they both flew away. I imagine that's what he did

 

[silkydragon]

mallards are migratory birds if you dont want them to fly away you have to clip there wings i had a pair a long time ago that flew away and returned a few yrs in a row but never let me get lose to them(it may have just been random wild mallards landing on my pond)

 

[rgn87]

I had two mallards last year that i loved very much, and they flew away around labor day. I was heartbroken, that's why I decided to get Cayugas because they are a heavier bird. I also don't like to have my ducks in a cage, I enjoy free ranging, and I don't want to clip their wings either.

 

[noriko]

I had 6 Mallards(2 drakes & 4 ducks) and they've never flew away. They found our swimming pool when they started flying....... They were even on the ice of our swimming pool last winter and doing ice skating. I didn't clip their feather but they decided to stay. They were so sweet and friendly but we couldn't keep them because this is our swimming pool, not theirs(They had a kiddy pool too but of course, they like bigger one better lol) So I gave them to our friends who has a big pond. I always gave them a lot of treat...like peas, lettus, cucumbers, tomatos so they loved me. By the way, after they left....it took sooo long for us to clean our swimming pool.

 

[sourland]

Most hatchery bred mallards are far enough removed from the wild stock that they stay around; however, if they have access to a large body of water and exposure to wild mallards- all bets are off. It is not unusual for human reared wild mallards and Canada geese to fly away in the autumn and return in the spring. If you have other ducks, he may return. If not, he may just be seeking companionship. Maybe he'll return with a girlfriend.

 

[Tia Z.]

This was a wild mallard rescued from the city pond after its mother was killed. Maybe even though it was hand raised since it was 2-3 days old, it still as very strong instincts. I do have other ducks but odd numbers so it didn't have a mate. Since it was a rescue I couldn't help but pamper him, he slept inside...sigh. We do have a pond for it but it is smallish, it hasn't attracted other neighborhood ducks or anything. I hope he comes back someday, I sure miss him, it's very quiet around here these days since my other ducks or muscovies.

 

[dumb_cluck]

I started with 6 mallard ducklings. Raised them by hand and at 3 months, 3 of them took off ( one male and two females--- flew in different directions) never to return, the other 3 are happy as clams staying here. Go figure. Maybe that's why the phrase "wild duck".

You can read about them on my website.

 

[Red Maple Farms]

Mine won't leave, and the only time I see them is when it is time for dinner. There somewhere in or around the pond.

A hen on her nest.

edited for wrong picture

 

[lorihadams]

Yep, one flew away and is currently living down the street in our uncle's backyard. He calls her "quack" and she follows him all over the place and talks to him while he does yardwork. It's really quite cute.