Wood or Mandarin Duck?

[newchickens2009]

Good evening, I am pondering getting some ducks but have a few questions. Forgive me if they seem dumb but I am new to ducks. I really like the Wood and Mandarin duck and wonder which one if any would work for what I want to do. Let me say I live in The Bahamas and our climate here is comparable to South Florida.
What I would like to do is to get a pair of one of these breeds and breed them. I live on a small island (2 1/2 miles long 1/2 mile wide) on the water.

What I would like to know is if I let some of them free range every year and keep a few pair for breeding, will they stay on/around this island or will they fly away never to return?

Can they survive on their on after being raised in captivity?

If these breeds are not a good choice, please give me some other choices of beautiful/colorful ducks that will stick around and free range close to our home/island.

And before I start a "you need a permit" "you can not let them into free world" debate I already am in the process of that with the proper Bahamian officials.

 

[Kevin565]

If you allow either species to free range they will probably fly away without a second though. I would try asking in the ornamental fowl section for better responses when it comes to migratory species.

 

[desertdarlene]

Ornamental ducks generally need more secure accommodations to keep them from flying away or getting attacked by predators. Have you thought about Muscovy ducks? They come in all types of colors. Some people have problems with their faces, though. You would probably want to clip their wings, but I doubt they would fly off the island.

 

[newchickens2009]

Yea, their faces are not very pleasing to look at :-(

 

[ChristineR]

Like Kevin said, I would go ask over in the Ornamentals section. I think more people with these birds would see your post.

 

[newchickens2009]

I will ask over there thank you

 

[JJRS]

They will not stick around for long. If any do they will probably be just tame enough to get eaten by something.

 

[rivermedic]

Maybe look into golden cascades? Also, I've had som blue swedish that were tougher than a $2 steak but it's a lot cooler on Appalachia than Bahama