My Mallard is Missing

[Miss Lydia]

It's hard to believe a predator was the culprit with your other 2 ducks not injured or acting terrified after the ordeal. Do you have any neighbors that might have taken him or live where someone passing by might have seen them and helped themselves. Reason asking we have had members who ducks were stolen. Unless he just had the opportunity to fly and took it. But if he had females seems he'd have come back.

Very sorry he hasn't returned.

 

[WVduckchick]

So sorry you have one missing.

Do you have anything like a treat can, or noise that he is familiar with, maybe you could call him back.
Also check around the perimeter, wherever a predator would logically "take" a bird. I have had hawks take a couple chickens. I usually find a feather pile just beyond my fence line. A hawk attacked and killed one of my call ducks also, but he didn't carry the body away (I interrupted)

Also since the door was found open, raccoons have very nimble hands. What kind of latch is on the door? And are you sure it was closed? These clues might point toward one predator or another, and may not help find Wiz, but help keep the others safe.

 

[AngieMaesChix]

Putting up flyers is a great idea especially if mallards are uncommon in your area...I know you must be worried. Don’t lose hope yet it’s only been a day and I’ve heard of ducks being gone longer and returning home..hopefully your little guy does too or someone sees him with the help of your flyers..hugs

 

[ColleenRyan]

It's hard to believe a predator was the culprit with your other 2 ducks not injured or acting terrified after the ordeal. Do you have any neighbors that might have taken him or live where someone passing by might have seen them and helped themselves. Reason asking we have had members who ducks were stolen. Unless he just had the opportunity to fly and took it. But if he had females seems he'd have come back.

Very sorry he hasn't returned.

Nobody except my immediate neighbors could see the hutch as it’s up against the back of our house. But you’re right, the other ducks seemed confused and upset yesterday because they’re such a pack but they don’t seem terrified at all. The main evidence I saw that would have been a predator was the missing eggs / egg shell. I also live in New Jersey in an area where I don’t think many people would want a duck unless they were doing something not so kind to him. We have 3 as pets and give the eggs to friends and family. It is possible he pushed the hutch door open but he’s never flown before and we’ve had him and the other three for a year. Do you know why a mallard
might fly randomly fly off? I didn’t clip his wings so he could get away from predators if he had to because he was so attached and uninterested in leaving. Any info would help. I don’t even know how far he could have gotten. I’m putting up missing flyers later

 

[Miss Lydia]

Duck love to fly I have Muscovies and clip their wings or they would end up in the river down below our home. It flows pretty fast which means they wouldn't last long . Ducks love to fly if given the chance. Do you have any bodies of water close by? I'd go check those places when you put up your flyers I also have my birds fenced in for their protection. and locked up at night. He could have gotten on to the door and pushed it open got scared and flew off. Just very hard to know. Did you ask your neighbors if they have seen him? Very strange a predator would come inside eat the eggs and not harm your other 2 ducks. Not saying it isn't possible maybe a opossum We have had them come around and eat the birds feed and not even give the birds a second look but I know they do love eggs.

 

[ColleenRyan]

Opossum makes sense actually. I’ve been in contact with my neighbor today he’s going to check around his shed when he gets home. There’s a college close by with lakes that I checked twice yesterday. Will definitely be posting flyers by those ponds. The Delaware river is about 3 miles but that seems a long way for him to fly having his friends at home. I swear he would it fly the height of my fence (5 ft MAX) and that was only to play with the dogs and mess around with them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If it was a Opossum after eggs that would have probably been enough to scare him to fly. Sure hope you can find him.