Weird wild duckling

[desertdarlene]

This guy is adorable! I thought I would share. The wild mom has 7 ducklings, but this little guy seems to be about 7-10 days behind in development. But, he's extremely energetic and independent. I worry that a heron would eat him because he's the smallest. The others in his family are almost ready to fly, but he's got a bit to go.

I didn't first see his family until they were a month old. Yesterday, I noticed that he's got quite a bit of white forming on his belly. There is a male gadwall hanging nearby and I think he has a mallard mate, so I'm wondering if this is his baby. We also have a number of male domestic ducks there as well. We had another weird, grayish looking duckling before, but he never had white on his belly.

Anyway, here's some photos and videos of him. I call him the little troublemaker because he's always encouraging the other ducks to run away with him into dangerous places.

I hope he makes it because I would love to see what he turns out to look like. Here is the mom with the 7, he's the tiny one closest to mom, only a little bit of him is showing:









And, a video. I have two videos, but only one is on Youtube:

In this video, he's a bit older.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[luvmypets]

Cute little guy!

 

[desertdarlene]

Thanks! I'm uploading a newer video, but it will take a little while.

Edit: I just added the 2nd video.

 

[desertdarlene]

Here is today's update. Not the prettiest picture of him, it was early morning and he was grooming.

He seems to always want to be by himself. He's starting to grow a little and is about 2/3 the size of the smallest of the others in the family.





I'll post more as he grows up when I get to take them. I'm so curious to see what he grows up to look like, but he's still very vulnerable to predators.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

He's real handsome Darlene. I do not see galdwells here, I had to google them, my, those are very pretty. So is that mama duck part galdwell also?

Ah, and to see the crested with his 2 buddies. Thanks for sharing Darlene.

 

[desertdarlene]

The mother seems to be full mallard. It is unknown if gadwalls and mallards can produce fertile offspring as there's been little study on it. I'm still not sure this guy has any gadwall, but he does have, at least, some other breed of duck in him. We had a duckling that sorta look like him a few years ago, but he was half buff and didn't have any white at all on his belly when he was a duckling.

By the way, I think he's a male because I see some changes in his bill that might indicate that, plus his behavior. He has at least one brother in his brood, but the rest appear to be girls. So, he will look interesting no matter what he has in him.

That crested has been at the lake for almost 3 years now. The Cayuga that's with him is the longest lived mallard-derived domestic duck at the lake. He's been there for more than four years. The runner duck is new and has been there about 11 months.

 

[desertdarlene]

Here's mom with two of Troublemaker's siblings. There were 3, but one is swimming under water when I took this photo.

 

[desertdarlene]

Here's Troublemaker's update! I might not be able to get another one until the end of next weekend. He seems to have lost a little bit of white on his belly. I thought I saw a white ring forming around his neck, but I think those might be new pins and feathers forming. It's been cloudy early in the morning, so the lighting is not that great.



Here he is with mom and some of his siblings who are nearly grown. Troublemaker still peeps like a baby. In this photo, you can also see his longer, more slender bill:

 

[desertdarlene]

Troublemaker says "It's too hot to start trouble today." I think he's stopped growing and developing, but I can't tell because I can't see most of his body. I think I still see a bit of down on his back and head, but he looks mostly feathered out.




He's still very small and has a duckling voice. Here he is next to his brother and a sister:

 

[callmeRISH]

could you please post apicture of the mother and thought to be father