Releasing Mallard ducks when they gain flight feathers

[KansasKid]

I don't know, but i really don't think hatcheries specifically keep mallards with genetic differences like true wild and domestic?
And i wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal if you let them go, i mean how many times have you heard about people having domestic mallards that flew away in the fall? one of my hens would be gone right now if it weren't for the fact that i feed her so good.

Legally speaking unless there is a specific law in your town/state ducklover1 here in kansas, missouri, oklahoma you can raise them without a permit because they are a domestic duck and i don't think a game warden in their right mind is going to take the time and money to get a DNA test to make sure it is 3 generations from wild caught bird unless there just out to get you. And agreed it is illegal to take mallard eggs,ducklings,adults, and even nests from the wild.

I think if you leave them fully feathered and they fly away, you can't do much.

Sorry if i missed anything, just today looked at this thread and skipped to page 4.

 

[DuckyMom]

PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE! this is likley a death sentence on these poor bird. It is cruel, irrasponsible and also illegal.
The responsible and kinda thing to do is to find a safe home which will supply them with food, shelter, and predator protection. (hand outs at the local park will not cut it.)
Here are some links that can help you find them a home:
http://www.duckrescuenetwork.org/
http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/
http://carolinawaterfowlrescue.com/index.html
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html
http://www.bravebirds.org/
http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/petducksrus/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Kindandgentlepetduckgroup/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/petpoultry/

Please think about the welfare of the birds first! I hope that you can use one of these sites to find them a loving home!

Emily

 

[Matapatos]

Spec, that is interesting about the released birds and I'm not going to dispute it at all. I do wonder if the survival rate of wild birds can be known? Do you know of any studies on wild waterfowl survival rates? And how come the Spec. Eider cannot be hunted anymore? That was before my time and I haven't looked it up...

And Duckymom, it is not illegal. We've already covered this... It is interesting to know how many of them don't make it, but that has to be taken on a duck by duck scenario. I've seen tame white geese leading flocks of Canada's around and hunters shooting silver appleyard ducks way out on the marshes. Lots of them around and they can and do make it.

Travis

 

[desertdarlene]

From what I've researched, most, if not all, states have laws against abandoning domesticated animals and livestock and consider it animal cruelty. Many other countries have even stricter laws.

 

[DuckLover9138]

Realistically, they are wild animals that are hatched domestically by hatcheries. They are not domestic in the sense that they have been domesticated by humans. It would be like calling a tiger a domesticated animal if fed by the zoo. It might be raised at a zoo, but it is not a domesticated animal. They will probably fly away eventually. I called a few hatcheries that sell true mallards and I was told they will fly away if you don't clip their wings. I don't plan to because its cruel and usual to harm them. There are mallards around where I live (in fact 7 minute walk away). That's why the person thought it was a good place to put them. There is no need to release them anywhere nor do I plan to. I actually like them.

If you go on Wikipedia and look at Mallards or more credible websites, the very definition of a mallard is a wild duck. Domesticated animals are the result of domestication. It hasn't been domesticated.

To make you sleep easier, I don't plan to release it anyways. They are only interested in seeing me when I have foods. A few month later, they will probably fly away.

I think the source that I gave out anyways clearly indicated it is not illegal to release it if its not a domesticated duck. If you check what counts as a domesticated duck, you will not find mallards on the list. There are cases where people have raised orphaned mallard ducklings and released them. I have not heard of them being fined or drag to court. If raising orphaned ducklings or saving abandoned eggs means heavy fines and jail time, I am pretty sure this will be all over the front page of the New York Times and every other major newspaper by now. To the best of my understanding, this has not occurred. There hasn't been any precedent concerning this aspect in relating to mallard. If anyone can find a case like it, I would be very thankful as would hundreds if not tens of thousands of other people. In Florida, it specifically stated (recently in the last decade) that releasing Mallards are illegal because it destroyed the native black duck's habit. I have yet to see anything remotely similar or a case similar to Florida's in other states.

Also, in terms of survival. If you read the study (too long for my attention span), I didn't read the whole thing, but I skimmed it. They said they were released when it was 2 weeks old. At two weeks old, it can't even fly at 2 weeks! They also released over 100 per test group. If you were a bird trapped with 100 other bird for 2 weeks probably in a small area for the experiment, I can not imagine you would want to return back to the people that kept them there. I think that partially explains the low rate. In theory, they are genetically as fit as the wild ones. I can't imagine them not wanting to migrate to escape it. Especially since the researchers stated specifically they introduced diversity and prevented inbreeding. I think too many birds flew away and never came back I think thats why the results were much poorer. If they treated them nicer, I bet it would be higher for returning ones. I will read the whole study tomorrow when I am not exhausted.

I am not releasing any birds. They are already moving further and further away, but still come back at night. I still feed them fruits and leafy vegetables, but they are starting to eat grass and other plants. I think this topic gets too emotional for too many people. Until I see mallard classified as domestic animals or livestock or that seeing people dragged to court for releasing abandoned ducklings or saving eggs, I am not buying this you will be dragged to court for this and be locked up in jail smoke and mirror stuff. If the wild game officers didn't stop factory farming, I can't imagine they would hunt down people releasing genetically wild ducks identical to other mallards while other people dump actual domestic ducks into waterways and ponds. I know some people might feel offended, but let's just let this topic end. No one is releasing any ducks and there hasn't been any precedent for people locked up for releasing domestically raised wild mallards. I can't even find people who were fined or charged under the so called "animal cruelty law" [It would really be stretching it] for it. Like I said, the only state that said it is illegal is Florida and you don't even find cases of strict enforcement of it. Never mind the states that doesn't even have something like it.

 

[DuckLover179]

Quote:
If you want to close the topic, you can report one of the posts (won't do any harm to the poster), and explain that you want it closed... The mods will then close it, this was the mods advice to me, and it's how I closed my topic.

 

[missred871]

Quote:
Illegal and unethical. Domestic ducklings have NO idea how to forage for food or evade predators.

Oh yeah? Then how in the world did all the parks here in Gwinnett County, and Lake Lanier in Hall County, end up with so many mallards on them???? Being as we're about 800 miles SOUTH of the breeding range of mallards? And I ain't talking about Rouens or something that looks like mallards. I've been killing them enough years to know a mallard when I see one. Seems like they said they were ready to fly. Not exactly a "duckling".

I think you are a wee off base THunter, ranchhand said DOMESTIC as in rouen or pekin or any other NON WILD breed. Yes "flying" mallards are released in many places and in most it is illegal without proper licensing. However what everyone is saying is that they need to be rehabilitated so they are more likely to survive the wild. Hope this helps to explain.

 

[silkiechicken]

Closed by request of OP.