Wild ducks live in all corners of our planet. Many of the varieties have long been tamed by man and can be kept at home. Domesticated individuals eventually became the ancestors of most known domestic breeds. It is no secret that wild birds are hunted. Over the past hundred years, the population of individuals has seriously suffered because of this. Often they are caught and then grown on the farm. Today we will figure out what types of wild ducks exist, and how they can be kept.
Description
Ducks come from a large and widespread family of waterfowl. This includes over 150 species. All wild ducks are distinguished by the fact that they have a streamlined body of sufficient width. There are membranes on the paws of these individuals, and the shape of the beak of such birds is flattened. Wild ducks are also distinguished by the fact that they have a special plumage – it is completely waterproof. This effect is ensured by the fatty lubrication secreted by the coccygeal gland. It is she who makes the feathers of these birds invulnerable in contact with water.
Despite the fact that the plumage of wild ducks is waterproof, they still require thorough and meticulous washing. To this end, individuals are accustomed to running through the water, flapping their wings loudly and with all their might. Ducks that have not bathed for several days, at the first contact with water, can simply drown or begin to swim with great difficulty, partially sinking into the reservoir.
But do not think that dirty feathers become an obstacle only for swimming. This factor can also seriously harm the flight. After swimming, wild ducks move to the shore and shake themselves well. This procedure contributes to the rapid and effective restoration of plumage affected by water exposure. Further, individuals take out fat from the coccygeal gland with their beak and move it to feathers.
It is easy to distinguish a female from a male. It is enough to pay attention to the color of these large freshwater birds. The head of wild ducks is quite large and massive, and the tail is short. With the onset of spring, the weight of drakes can reach 1,5 kg. As for the females, they usually have a more modest size. Their weight rarely exceeds 1,2 kg.
By autumn, the birds acquire a fatty layer. It is during this period that wild ducks gain weight. As for the body length of wild ducks, it is usually 51-62 cm. The flat and rather wide beak has a pale, discreet color. Along its edges, one can see clearly visible horny plates – this is another distinguishing feature of these individuals. The paws of wild ducks are usually orange or reddish in color.
The difference in the color of the feathers in these birds is especially noticeable in the winter and spring seasons. At this time, individuals begin to form pairs for the subsequent mating season. This is a very important period for them, for which the ducks have to prepare in advance. It is at these moments that dark green feathers appear on the head and neck of the drake. Males have a light abdomen, and on the back there are dark gray shades of feathers.
Habitat
As mentioned above, wild ducks are distributed throughout the globe. They cannot be found except at the North and South Poles. Certain species live in fairly large areas. For example, almost the entire Northern Hemisphere is densely populated by mallards. In this family there are also individuals whose range is limited to an area of 1000-2000 square meters. km or only an island ridge. Migration is carried out by species that live in northern latitudes, where in winter seasons, water bodies are completely covered with ice. From dry tropical places, wild ducks usually move to more humid equatorial or subtropical regions. Flights can be very short, but they are medium, and even very long.
For wintering, wild ducks move closer to humans. You can see them in the city. The most convenient and comfortable place for them in such conditions is city parks, where they have their own reservoirs. It could be a small pond. Lakes located near villages are also suitable. Often, people specially go to feed these beautiful birds in the winter season so that they do not suffer from low temperatures and do not starve.
As a rule, all kinds of wild ducks live near water. They are accustomed to a daytime lifestyle, because they do not see very well at night.
Food
The nutrition of wild ducks directly comes from the variety to which they belong. Many birds get food for themselves right in the water. The “menu” of wild ducks includes both plant and animal food. However, the ratio of ingredients is usually different. It is from the type of food that certain features of the behavior of a given wild bird often depend. Mallards in nature like to eat algae, as well as insect larvae that live in the upper water layers. As for species such as dives, long-tailed ducks or eiders, they eat small fish, caviar, mollusks that live deep under water.
Birds that feed on plant foods to a greater extent have characteristic, well-developed horny plates on their beaks. Usually they take water with all the remnants of algae, insects and larvae into their mouths, and then they just filter everything well with the help of plates. If the main diet of these birds is a fish, then it remains in the mouth and is then swallowed. The tip of the duck’s beak is widened to make it easier to pinch plants.
Certain subspecies of wild birds that live in temperate climates and do not resort to migration feed exclusively on plants in autumn and winter. Animal feed in the cool seasons is almost inaccessible.
What can and cannot be fed?
Many poultry farmers are interested in the question of what can be fed to wild ducks, and what should not be given to them in any case. It should be borne in mind that wild individuals eat in approximately the same way as domestic ones. As stated earlier, their diet usually includes fish, larvae, eggs, and various insects. That is why the food of wild ducks needs to be supplemented with protein components. Here is a small set of feed that these species need:
- corn, barley, millet;
- duckweed and algae;
- fish, maggots, slugs, snails;
- stems and roots of marsh plants;
- dried and fresh grass;
- boiled potatoes;
- sunflower cake;
- fish and meat waste;
- meat and bone meal;
- shells and chalk.
In order for food to be better ground in the goiter of wild ducks, they need to be given small pebbles and coarse river sand. And in order for the animal to receive a sufficient amount of vitamins, it is permissible to feed it with the necessary additives, as well as fodder yeast.
In no case should you feed wild ducks with rye bread and moldy foods. Do not give them wet food and dairy products. It is also better not to feed wild ducks with the remains from the human table.
Varieties
There are many different breeds of wild ducks. They differ from each other in habitat, color, feeding behavior. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular and widespread varieties of these interesting wild birds.
- Teal whistles. Drakes bearing this name have a green stripe in the eye area on their body. It ends at the back of the head. During the mating season, this bird can dance next to the females for several hours, attracting more attention to itself.
- Dirty-cracked. These individuals differ from those described above not by a green, but by a white stripe that adorns their head. The mating games of these individuals are usually very noisy.
- Chirki-kloktunki. These species are the most common among the teal. In Russia, such individuals rarely appear. More common in Asia.
- Big crumbs. Individuals of this breed belong to another category of wild ducks. In length, they can reach half a meter. Females are usually smaller.
- Medium crumbs. These birds live in the northern forest zones. In length, their body can reach 60 cm. As for females, this parameter is 55 cm. There is a beautiful crest on the back of the head.
- Scaled mergansers. The rarest representatives of the breed. Very rarely they can be seen in the Far East. The color of the feathers is the same as that of the average mergansers. They differ in size.
- Pintail. In our country, individuals of this breed are the most common. They can be found in many regions. The only exceptions are the northern and southern regions. The drakes of this breed are quite large, and the females are slightly smaller.
- Wide-legged. These birds can also be found almost everywhere. They do not live only in the tundra. Individuals are of medium size. Their body length is usually about 50 cm, and their weight is 1 kg. The main distinguishing feature of these representatives of the breed is that they have a non-standard wide beak. Ducks spend a lot of time in the water, feeding on grass and small insects.
- Slanted ducks. These are large wild birds of impressive mass. Females have a dark chocolate color, as well as a gray beak. As soon as the mating season begins, the drakes are covered with colorful feathers, against which the plumage of females seems dull and inconspicuous. Males have green plumage on their heads. There are white feathers on the neck, and bronze ones on the crown (white ones are also found).
- Gray duck. Representatives of this breed are not too large. Drakes have the usual soft colors. As for the females, they have a bright red undertail, against the black characteristic of the male. By these signs, it is easiest to determine the sex of such ducks.
Reproduction
The mating season for wild birds occurs at various time intervals. Everything happens depending on the climatic zone in which the birds are located. Migratory varieties begin to breed as soon as they arrive at their usual nesting sites. As for the birds, which always remain to live in one place, they enter the mating season when the weather allows it. It should be favorable: not too hot and not too cold. In addition, during this period, the amount of feed should be increased.
Males during the mating season are covered with a bright color. They begin to actively care for the females. Representatives of different breeds have their own rituals for this. Some individuals always open their tufts, while others emit a kind of guttural cry. Some birds even arrange dances on the water, run a race. As a rule, pairs are formed only for one season.
These birds usually organize laying in coastal thickets, hollows of trees, old nests. Incubation of the testicles usually takes about 3-4 weeks. The bird starts such procedures after it lays the last egg. Different types of wild ducks sit on their eggs for different times. For example, musky individuals incubate ducklings for at least 34 days. At first, the duck practically does not leave the nest, but then it begins to move away from it in order to swim and get food. Only at first, the female is always on the clutch. After 1-2 weeks, she leaves her, having previously warmed well with fluff.
In conditions of one nest, from 6 to 18 chicks can be bred. They are selected from the shell for about 10-14 hours. Ducklings dry pretty quickly, and after a couple of hours they can follow their mother to the pond. The duck will not rise from the nest until all the chicks have been hatched. During the first days, babies react to food that moves around. After that, the chicks gradually switch to food specific to their species.
Content at home
As a rule, the described birds have excellent strong immunity and very rarely start to get sick. They are undemanding to the food they eat, and can live quietly in almost any conditions. However, it must be borne in mind that wild ducks have naturally loud voices, and can also fly, which is why they have to clip their wings from time to time. They gain weight rather slowly. There are several ways to catch these birds.
- With the help of a trap. It is worth taking a high wicker basket, fixing a lid on top with flaps that open inward under the weight of a duck. Usually baskets are dug near the shore.
- With the help of forces. This method should be used by experienced people. Near the snare, you will have to be on duty and watch when the bird hits it with its paw. It is necessary to act here carefully so as not to harm the duck.
- Hands If you know well all the features of the behavior of wild ducks, you can catch them with your own hands. These individuals are not too shy, especially if they live in the city and know the person well.
If you still manage to catch this wild bird, you should settle it in a clean barn or standard poultry house, provide good care. Special buildings will not need to be prepared. Wild ducks can easily get along with other birds, and sometimes even interbreed with other breeds. The poultry house may not be insulated for the winter, but it is very important to make sure that the livestock does not suffer from drafts.
The bedding for these birds should be prepared from straw or shavings. Its thickness should be approximately 20-25 cm. Perches should be built at a height of 35-40 cm. Nests should be organized in fairly quiet and secluded places. Above them, you should make and install small houses.
Please note that wild ducks are required to walk. At least 1 sq. m. Without a reservoir, these individuals do not live. If a pond, river or any other body of water is too far away, then it is worth placing a large container in the yard and filling it with water. Of course, it will need to be replaced. Enough once every two days or as it gets dirty. About feeding was mentioned above. A special delicacy for wild ducks is fish, insects and larvae.
Of course, it will be necessary to give grain crops, aquatic vegetation, shells and chalk, marsh plants. You can not give these birds black bread. Watch what you offer wild ducks – products in no case should be spoiled. Moldy treats can cause serious harm to these wild birds. Be careful when choosing food for these birds. If you want wild ducks to please you with high egg production rates, then certain types of algae must be in their diet, thanks to which they rush well:
As for feeding the ducklings, they will eat the same as the chickens. The only exception is cottage cheese. You can give boiled eggs, chopped greens, finely chopped fish. Keep in mind that ducks grow many times faster than ordinary chickens. Only a couple of months is enough for them to compare in size and weight with already adult representatives of their breed. This is important to consider if you are planning to breed these wild birds.
In most cases, egg-laying begins with the onset of warm seasons. As soon as the female lays the eggs, she will immediately sit down to incubate them. Ducklings will appear quickly. Without a mother, it will be very difficult to keep track of them. The chicks are active, hatch nimble and nimble. The drake is usually involved in their rearing, but all he has to do is protect the brood and the territory entrusted to him.
As a rule, wild ducks behave quite friendly, and farmers rarely have to worry about them flying off the farm. They quickly get used to the owner and adapt to new conditions. Ducks do not eat so much, so big expenses will not be needed here. The main thing is not to forget that wild ducks really need fresh air. They must have room for walking. It is also very important to take care of good ventilation of the house in which wild ducks will live. In addition, it should be noted that wild ducks are very clean birds. The barn must always be clean and dry, otherwise they will be uncomfortable.
For information on how to breed wild ducks at home, see the following video.
