Wild duck attack!

[anniele27]

I'm trying to identify a duck that attacked my ducks and I today. It's not any of the domesticated ducks I've seen before! It flew right up to my ducks and I on our beach and started attacking them. I got a paddle and shooed it away from my ducks and it started lunging and biting at me before It finally flew off. It then came back a second time and did the same thing! All of the ducks,swans,and geese on the lake have been very friendly and I often see them on the beach with my ducks all sleeping in a big group so I was shocked to be attacked by one I've never seen!

Duck appearance:
Flying at me it looked like a mallard but when it got close I noticed it had a mask kinda like a Muscovy but with only a large jagged white circle around its eyes (kinda reminded me of a day of the dead skull drawing) it didn't have the crunckle (as I call it) on the beak like a Muscovy but it was a larger than my full grown rouens and was able to fly. Also it's quack was very strange sounding. Nothing like a drake or duck sound I've heard before. It sounded almost like nails on a chalkboard!

If anyone has any guesses please let me know! I've scoured the internet looking at ducks pictures and can't find anything!!

 

[anniele27]

I live in IL by the way but I've never seen one like this before and it wasn't with a flock of others

 

[Speceider]

Sounds like you intruded into an Egyptian goose's territory. They are not a native species.

Clint

 

[anniele27]

Thank you looked it up and that looks similar although the one I dealt with was much darker and had white around the eyes! We've lived at the house for 5 years and have never once seen it. Does that mean someone must have bought and raised it? Why would it consider our area it's territory

 

[HappyBirdSongs]

Greetings!

I know squat about ducks. But I'm always up for a good Google search challenge. Perhaps it was a male blue-winged teal?

The first audio entry on the Sounds tab at the below site seems to sound like the "nails on chalkboard" cry you describe.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/blue-winged_teal/sounds

 

[Speceider]

Greetings! I know squat about ducks. But I'm always up for a good Google search challenge. Perhaps it was a male blue-winged teal? The first audio entry on the Sounds tab at the below site seems to sound like the "nails on chalkboard" cry you describe. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/blue-winged_teal/sounds

Not a chance... Blue-wings are small and very passive.. Clint

 

[Speceider]

Thank you looked it up and that looks similar although the one I dealt with was much darker and had white around the eyes! We've lived at the house for 5 years and have never once seen it. Does that mean someone must have bought and raised it? Why would it consider our area it's territory

You could look up other shelducks...particulay capes or Ruddy's, but if it attacked...I still think Egyptian. It is probably an escapee...part of the reason they are outlawed in some states because of the possibility of them escaping and establishing feral populations.

Clint

 

[desertdarlene]

Egyptian geese look a lot like they're wearing a mask and look very skull-like on their heads. But, other than that, I don't know. I'm thinking either that kind or some other kind of shelduck as they're very aggressive. Most other species that I can think of, such as wood ducks and long-tailed ducks, are very passive and a lot smaller.

I'm sure that the duck is protecting a nesting area. Perhaps whenever their babies hatch, they will move on.

 

[anniele27]

I guess In the moment of being attacked I did not get a good look because it is in fact an Egyptian. I went to put the ducks up from free ranging yesterday and found them all terrified and hiding in brush. Then this morning he was back on our beach and I chased him away again but my ducks were still nervous to come out of their pen. I don't get why it's being so mean. We put a ramp on the stairs so that way if needed they can come up into the yard to get away.

Questions:
My area is large open beach and I've checked everywhere, cannot find a nest so is there another reason for it to be mean?
What can I do about it? We are considering getting some Sebastopols because they are large, for protection (and because we want them)

Thanks for all the info!

 

[anniele27]

This may seem extreme but if I cannot get it to leave our ducks alone is it legal to shoot it? It is injuring my ducks and I cannot be here 24/7 to shoo it away and our "gaurd dog" is only 15 pounds