Mallard Nest Rescue Project

[iluvsedward]

OK here's the dealio.
I work at a Marina docking and fueling boats during the warmer months. At this marina there are a plentiful supply of mallards and boats. Mallards like to make nests on boats. Boat owners would like to use their boats, and can be careless when it comes to nature. This is a very common occurance. In the past, I rescued a clutch of nine eggs from a charter fishing boat that had no interest in letting momma sit on his boat for a month, of the nine, eight hatched. Now, no one really knows I hatch eggs and I've heard of some of my coworkers talking about eating the eggs and other awful things. However this year I'm wondering if I should put myself out there (maybe a flyer advertising egg removal?) to help rescue some of those eggs that would otherwise be tossed in the water, abandoned, or what have you. Here's the issue, at what point would be a good age to release the young ducks back into the marina so they could learn to forage with the other ducks but still be old enough to survive without a momma? Do mallards migrate south from the Chesapeake Bay in the winter? am I better off selling the ducklings ? I just want to give these babies a life that I know for certain would otherwise die without some intervention.

eta: I could raise them in a very hands-off way so they wouldn't be tame, if that's an issue.

 

[casportpony]

I would start by contacting the Department of Fish and Game because I'm not sure if it's legal to collect and hatch wild mallard eggs. Also try contacting a wildlife rescue.

 

[casportpony]

@Pyxis , do you have any comments?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

@chickens really can you help? The ducklings might imprint on you which would make releasing them problematic.

 

[casportpony]

@chickens really can you help? The ducklings might imprint on you which would make releasing them problematic.

I think it's illegal in the US to poach eggs from nests.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think it's illegal in the US to poach eggs from nests.

It is probably illegal to poach wild bird eggs. But I don’t think it’s better to have people throw them out, when she might be able to hatch them and release them into the while

 

[sourland]

I think it's illegal in the US to poach eggs from nests.

I am 95 % certain that Kathy is correct.

 

[sourland]

It is probably illegal to poach wild bird eggs. But I don’t think it’s better to have people throw them out, when she might be able to hatch them and release them into the while

The flip side to this is, is it better to release pen raised birds into the wild with no mother to protect/teach them? Such birds are susceptible to predation and attack by resident birds.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

The flip side to this is, is it better to release pen raised birds into the wild with no mother to protect/teach them? Such birds are susceptible to predation and attack by resident birds.

True.

 

[casportpony]

"The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it illegal to destroy or disturb nests with birds or eggs in them. This means if you find a nest that is active, unless you get a permit to do so (not so easy), you legally have to wait the four to six weeks in which it usually takes young birds to migrate before you can remove the nest. On top of that, states can have their own regulations, too.

The Act also makes it illegal to collect or have in your possession live native birds (adults or young), bird feathers, nests or eggs, to try to incubate wild bird eggs, to keep nests or eggs even for “show and tell” educational purposes, or to have road-killed birds in your possession without a permit.

It is illegal to remove or move active nests, even if:

they are in an inconvenient location;

they create piles of poop;

they build an unsightly nest and drop pigeon and rat remains on the sidewalk in front of an upscale Fifth Avenue housing coop in NYC, ala the Pale Male Red-tailed Hawk.)"

Source: http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/blog/removing-bird-nests/