What happened to this duck?

[blackandtan]

Any info to back this up?

Yep, my wildlife management degree covered current accepted theories regarding seasonal and age related changes in North American wildlife, as well as adaptive strategies to maximize the recruitment of young animals. It’s been awhile but I believe the term was “predator swamping”, in some species like caribou all the calves are born in almost the same week, everywhere, so the wolves have enough to choose from and some babies still survive. In other species like ducks, because all of them, males, females, and chicks are flightless at the same time, there is a statistically better chance of the young ones surviving, because not only does mom hide them but dad is easy to catch and makes a much bigger meal.
So, since those muscovies are feral, I would suggest that they are reverting to a more natural pattern of molting.

 

[chris330r]

Yep, my wildlife management degree covered current accepted theories regarding seasonal and age related changes in North American wildlife, as well as adaptive strategies to maximize the recruitment of young animals. It’s been awhile but I believe the term was “predator swamping”, in some species like caribou all the calves are born in almost the same week, everywhere, so the wolves have enough to choose from and some babies still survive. In other species like ducks, because all of them, males, females, and chicks are flightless at the same time, there is a statistically better chance of the young ones surviving, because not only does mom hide them but dad is easy to catch and makes a much bigger meal.
So, since those muscovies are feral, I would suggest that they are reverting to a more natural pattern of molting.

So it's instinct that they all know to molt at the same time like this? And if so, then is it possible that it's happening to most drakes out there right now and not just this specific family of ducks? It's fascinating stuff.