Wild duckling food stuck in throat

[BelovedBirds]

I think around 3 - 5 of them, at least 2 females and a male or 2. They all fly. We have known Paddles for a while, always used to come for food at the warf before settling in the creek with her babies. The black males you can see a faint green hue over their heads, as if they are mallards blackened with soot. Almost all the duckling families in the bay recently have a few black babies with yellow chests so I'm guess the black ducks here are pretty promiscuous! Would be interesting if they have originated from domestic lines, they aren't particularly tame, probably more on the shy side to be honest

hmm.... How long have they been there?

 

[Bekah93]

hmm.... How long have they been there?

No idea, I've only started noticing them over the past 6 months to a year maybe but I've just started taking a proper interest in them recently so who knows

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wonder if a snapping turtle might have bitten off Mama's foot that sounds more logical.

I know they are some blessed ducks to have you helping them out and caring for them.

 

[Bekah93]

I wonder if a snapping turtle might have bitten off Mama's foot that sounds more logical.

I know they are some blessed ducks to have you helping them out and caring for them.

Here in New Zealand we don't have turtles in our creeks, but we do have big native eels which I've read eat ducklings and grab feet. I chased a couple of eels away the other week and they didn't come back thank goodness

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay not knowing where a member lives makes it hard to figure out what predator we're looking at.
Thank goodness you were able to chase them away.