What is this duck behavior?

[MS_pond]

Hi all!

I have two young blue runner males, four months old. They both have been doing this randomly for a couple weeks now. See video: sometimes they will be chilling in the pond and quite suddenly and randomly will "buck" while letting out one big squeaky honk like a donkey. My daughter is talking in the background but you can hear him in the video.

What is this?? Besides muscovy, I've only ever had three mallard-descended hens and they didn't do this. Never heard of it. Doesn't seem connected to emotion/excitement/anything.

 

[Evadig]

Hi all!

I have two young blue runner males, four months old. They both have been doing this randomly for a couple weeks now. See video: sometimes they will be chilling in the pond and quite suddenly and randomly will "buck" while letting out one big squeaky honk like a donkey. My daughter is talking in the background but you can hear him in the video.

What is this?? Besides muscovy, I've only ever had three mallard-descended hens and they didn't do this. Never heard of it. Doesn't seem connected to emotion/excitement/anything.

Do they only do this to each other?

My guess would be they’re trying to establish a pecking order of sorts.

 

[MS_pond]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean, I don't think they are doing anything "to" each other. In the video you can see they're just floating and hanging out in the pond. No vocalizing/body language leading up to it. They'll do it when they're off by themselves as well to be clear.

Edit: The cranky grunts you can hear in the video are my girl Taylor, out of frame.

 

[ruthhope]

I see similar behavior on pekins on land. Mine do not hsve a pond or lake only a wading pool so aren't out swimming most of the time.

The most satisfactory explanation I found when I fist saw it and looked on BYC and other duck groups for an explanation is that the duck is adjusting its crop

It's nothing to worry about. If the ducks were close to you, you would hear a sort of burping noise at the time of the movement

 

[MS_pond]

I see similar behavior on pekins on land. Mine do not hsve a pond or lake only a wading pool so aren't out swimming most of the time.

The most satisfactory explanation I found when I fist saw it and looked on BYC and other duck groups for an explanation is that the duck is adjusting its crop

It's nothing to worry about. If the ducks were close to you, you would hear a sort of burping noise at the time of the movement

It does sound like a grunt(-burp?)-honk. Maybe that's it, thank you.

 

[ruthhope]

It does sound like a grunt(-burp?)-honk. Maybe that's it, thank you.

My pekin drake that previously did it a lot, seems to have outgrownvthe habit!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I call that the “hee haw” because I thought it sounded like a donkey too. Drakes do it when they are happy and excited. They often do it right after mating. I think it means “wahoo, everyone look at me, I’m awesome”.

 

[MS_pond]

I call that the “hee haw” because I thought it sounded like a donkey too. Drakes do it when they are happy and excited. They often do it right after mating. I think it means “wahoo, everyone look at me, I’m awesome”.

That's adorable!

 

[KathiQuacks]

That is a male courtship display. That’s why the hens do not do it, and also why it’s started in the last few weeks.