This is a duck/predator question

[McChooky]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
I'm so sorry to hear about your ducks. I too have lost my first and second flocks of ducks all in one night. It's devasting. My guess would be a family of raccoons, coyotes, or foxes got them. The straggler may have escaped the attack and hunkered done somewhere due to the shock or got lost which is why she's just now shown back up home. I hope that you have a few more ducks find their way home, but I wouldn't get my hopes up high. Again, so sorry for your loss.

Its shocking to find out how quick they can disappear without a trace.
Electric poultry netting is one of the best deterrents from foxes,dogs and coyotes and is popular among backyard chicken members

 

[dusta]

I had a 5 ft block fence around my yard. A bear came over the blocks and my Irish terrier went after the bear. She and the the bear were face to face my IT said the duck was hers and the bear said it wasn't. The bear jumped and went over with the duck.
From that time on they were shut up at night.

 

[RPw1690]

I lost 6 Rouens all of a sudden in January, two with some feathers, 3 in one night no trace, and the last one I think around 10AM, before the guinea fowl were out on watch. I suspect a red tailed hawk, pretty big, has gotten adept at plucking them off the ground, leaving no feathers, no trace. The last Rouen female was a very good flier. I think that’s the rump of the hawk in the lower left.

 

[Pattysarts]

Hello. I'm baffled at the moment. But you can call me Countryheart. I'm new here. I live in central Missouri with my husband of 27 years. We have chickens and until last Saturday, I had 11 ducks. Which is what brings me to my question. Saturday night between 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. all 11 of my ducks went missing. Missing without a trace. I have searched high and low for them no feathers no blood no nothing. Today which is Wednesday, one duck showed back up. The thing is none of my ducks can fly so I don't believe they just flew away. I do live pretty far out in the country there are a couple of homes pretty close. I can't imagine what would have taken all 11 ducks at once and where was this one that all of at sudden just shows up almost 4 days later? I know it wasn't hiding anywhere because I have called and called and called for them and they always came when I called. I have no idea I am so sad that all my ducks are gone but one because now this one's going to drive me crazy lol anyone have ideas? I've searched one side of our creek to see if there were duck beaks or bones or anything but there's nothing. I would be grateful for any insight that someone might give me. A friend of mine seems to think it might be coyotes but it's just shocks me that this one just shows up 3 days later.

I agree with the coyote or fox idea. Fox expecialy with growing kits will come and wipe out all they find in one night. They bury extras after eating their fill.
Fox take the prey so you won't fing remains. Your lone duck probably excaped and was in shock taking it a few days to come home.
Sorry about your babies.

 

[Yardmom]

I had the same thing happen a couple years ago. The lone survivor took a bit to come back. In fact he didn't come all the way back we had to go catch him when he came close enough that we knew he was alive. I think their instincts are to scatter then hide when attacked on land.
Ducks don't drop feathers (like chickens) when attacked. Being there are no bodies I would suspect a larger predator. Coyotes occasionally hunt in packs. They would be my number 1 suspect. Have you heard any howling in the evenings?

 

[Divahen]

Hello. I'm baffled at the moment. But you can call me Countryheart. I'm new here. I live in central Missouri with my husband of 27 years. We have chickens and until last Saturday, I had 11 ducks. Which is what brings me to my question. Saturday night between 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. all 11 of my ducks went missing. Missing without a trace. I have searched high and low for them no feathers no blood no nothing. Today which is Wednesday, one duck showed back up. The thing is none of my ducks can fly so I don't believe they just flew away. I do live pretty far out in the country there are a couple of homes pretty close. I can't imagine what would have taken all 11 ducks at once and where was this one that all of at sudden just shows up almost 4 days later? I know it wasn't hiding anywhere because I have called and called and called for them and they always came when I called. I have no idea I am so sad that all my ducks are gone but one because now this one's going to drive me crazy lol anyone have ideas? I've searched one side of our creek to see if there were duck beaks or bones or anything but there's nothing. I would be grateful for any insight that someone might give me. A friend of mine seems to think it might be coyotes but it's just shocks me that this one just shows up 3 days later.

How sad indeed. Perhaps a dog picked it up in it’s mouth and the dropped it? I had a neighbor dog when I was a child that came over and grabbed our ducks one by one and took home. They had taken her pups away and this was a bad behavior possibly because of it. Unfortunately the ducks weren’t alive when we discovered this. That’s why I thought about a dog, but coyotes are a real possibility as well. I, too, am in Mo and our 3 dogs keep the coyotes at bay, but I lock up my poultry at night. So sorry- I sure hope more will arrive home!

 

[RPw1690]

I agree with the coyote or fox idea. Fox expecialy with growing kits will come and wipe out all they find in one night. They bury extras after eating their fill.
Fox take the prey so you won't fing remains. Your lone duck probably excaped and was in shock taking it a few days to come home.
Sorry about your babies.

Fox leaves no feathers?

 

[McChooky]

I lost 6 Rouens all of a sudden in January, two with some feathers, 3 in one night no trace, and the last one I think around 10AM, before the guinea fowl were out on watch. I suspect a red tailed hawk, pretty big, has gotten adept at plucking them off the ground, leaving no feathers, no trace. The last Rouen female was a very good flier. I think that’s the rump of the hawk in the lower left.

Good shot of that hawk with the camera! I'm sorry for your loss!

 

[Vicker]

I'm so sorry. While I haven't lost an entire flock overnight, I have lost multiple ducks, geese and chickens at once. The primary culprits were coyotes, although we've had an occasional bobcat sighting. Coyotes and bobcats can take a large bird without leaving a trace. Maybe a pack crossed through and took most of your ducks, while the others hid out somewhere. I had a goose that was traumatized without physical injury by a raid and shut down for days.

 

[McChooky]

Good shot of that hawk with the camera! I'm sorry for your loss!

Why do you only suspect a hawk when some were got at night?