How to feed wild ducklings without a duck. Wild ducks, their types and breeding at home. Observation of the behavior and reproduction of mallards at home

Breeding wild ducks at home can be quite cost-effective and exciting. Birds can be sold alive to hunting societies, or slaughtered for meat and sold to enterprises Catering, through trade enterprises. It is especially beneficial to breed wild ducks in the presence of a natural reservoir.

bird features

wild ducks they behave calmly in captivity, they are in no hurry to fly away from the yard, where they are taken care of and well fed. And, even swimming in a natural reservoir, they still return to their native poultry yard, where they always have food. But the first two or three generations of wild ducks raised in captivity still need to have their wings trimmed at an early age, of course, if they are not planned to be released into hunting grounds.

In captivity, the bird breeds well, breeds strong offspring, gets along well with another poultry. Wild ducks do not require special conditions for keeping, and are not picky about food.

The meat of wild ducks has a peculiar taste, contains vitamins, minerals, more than 20% protein, and less than 0.5% fat, and is considered the most delicious among wild birds. But taste and chemical composition domestic wild duck meat will vary depending on the feed. If you feed a bird in the same way as domestic ducks, the taste of meat will also change, as a result, it will not differ in any way from the meat of domestic ducks.

And appearance wild ducks almost does not differ from a domesticated bird, if you do not take into account the fact that domestic ducks are larger, fatter, broader.

Eggs in wild ducks have a green shell, while in domestic ducks it is white or light beige.

What breed to choose?

Breeding wild ducks should begin with the choice of breed. The mallard is the best at adapting to new conditions. In captivity in good conditions with proper feeding, she quickly gains weight, willingly lays eggs, hatches ducklings, and takes good care of them.

In Russia, the mallard is the largest wild duck, the weight of females and drakes reaches 2-2.3 kg. She has long and strong wings with a span of up to 1 meter. The color of drakes and females is different - females have a variegated brown plumage, thanks to which they are well camouflaged in grass thickets. The color of males is quite interesting and bright - dark green with a sheen on the head and neck, gray or bright brown on the breast, gray-white on the body, white on the wings. Paws and beak are bright red.

Breeding mallards at home is best in the presence of a reservoir - natural or artificial. There they will swim and find useful food for themselves.

The red-headed pochard under natural conditions weighs up to 1.2 kg, the weight and size of females and drakes differ little. Can grow to large sizes on homemade food. The bird is distinguished by beautiful plumage - its head and neck are red or brown, the breast and tail are black, the body and wings are white.

Red-headed pochard in natural conditions settles near rivers and lakes - the same conditions will be required for cultivation in captivity. Females lay their eggs in nests built in reeds or grass. Like any wild bird, they good hens, there are no problems with hatching ducklings.

Gray ducks - females of this breed are similar to mallards, but the plumage of drakes is not so bright and beautiful. The weight of an adult bird is within 1.5 kg. In summer, the male and females molt heavily, and do not fly during this period. In nature, during molting, they have to hide in the bushes or in the reeds.

In addition, ducks of the following breeds can be bred at home: goldeneye, pintail, duck, loot, mandarin duck. These are endangered species of wild ducks, hunting for them is prohibited in many regions of Russia, so growing and breeding them at home will contribute to their conservation and increase.

Conditions for wild birds in captivity

What conditions must be created in order to breed wild ducks at home? Since this is a waterfowl, one of the main conditions for its rearing is a reservoir. It is good if there is a lake, river or pond nearby, but if there are no natural reservoirs, it is necessary to make an artificial one. As a last resort, you can bury an old bathtub for ducks and fill it with water. Ducks will swim from early spring to late autumn. Water will have to be changed from time to time, it can be used to water flowers or other plants - duck droppings are a good fertilizer.

For winter maintenance, you will need a warm room with a walking area. If the walls and ceiling are well insulated, in winter you can do without additional heating. A good method of heating a poultry house is deep litter, in the thickness of which the litter is processed with the release of heat.

In summer, the bird does not need a house, it is enough to make a small canopy for it from the sun and rain. The enclosure must be fenced with a metal mesh, the height of the fence is not less than 1.5 meters. If there is a forest nearby, the aviary is completely covered with a net, otherwise the duck or duckling will become easy prey for birds of prey and animals.

If you intend to raise wild ducks for sale to hunting estates, it is best to set up a farm near the place of a possible release into the wild, and as far as possible from the city.

The poultry yard is divided into three sectors - for ducklings, for a broodstock of one drake and 3-4 laying hens, for grown-up individuals.

breeding process

The mallard starts laying eggs in April and completes laying in mid-May. As for wild ducks of other species, the timing of egg laying and chick hatching can be different. At home, for laying hens, by this time you need to put baskets or boxes covered with hay. An incubator is not needed - the duck itself will hatch ducklings. Under natural conditions, drakes during this period take care of the hen, protecting her from possible enemies, the same behavior is possible at home.

A duck lays 1 egg per day, in total there are 9-13 eggs in the nest. Incubation begins after the laying of the last egg. Sometimes by this time, in the eggs laid before all, the germinal disk is already formed.

Hatching time for mallard eggs is 22-29 days. It is noteworthy that all the chicks are born at the same time, during the day with an interval of 10-15 hours. The eggs laid last develop faster than the first, and as a result, the chicks are born on the same day.

A newborn duckling weighs 25-39 grams, the brood leaves the nest 13-15 hours after the appearance of the first chick, at which point the ducklings can already move independently on land and water. They dive well, and thus find food and hide themselves from predators. In terms of growth, ducklings are ahead of chickens, they will catch up with their parents already at the age of 2-3 months.

At home, a wild duck can make 3 clutches of eggs in a season and raise up to 40 ducklings, which at the age of 2 months will weigh about 1 kg, and after another month they can be sold to hunters or sent for slaughter.

What to feed?

In summer, ducks are given plant and animal feed. If the bird does not have the opportunity to get protein food for itself in a natural reservoir, it must be added to the mash. For these purposes, offal, small fish, minced fish, fish or bone flour, shredded meat waste. Protein food of animal origin should be on the menu of wild ducks every day.

As succulent feed ducks can be given duckweed, algae, chopped grass, tops of carrots and beets, zucchini, pumpkin, carrion apples, root crops. Laminaria is especially useful for ducks. Make mash from grain, boiled potatoes, cake.

They feed ducks with buckwheat, barley, millet, tubers and rhizomes of coastal and aquatic plants. You can not give them rye bread and food containing sugar and chemical additives. Wild ducks, even at home, eat less than domestic geese and ducks.

There should always be water in the drinker, in the summer you need to add special disinfectants to it, or a little potassium permanganate - the solution should be slightly pink. The drinkers themselves must be of a closed type so that ducks cannot swim in them in winter, in the cold season such procedures will be fatal for them.

In a separate container, you need to put sand and fine gravel, just like chickens, ducks need them for better digestion of food.

The name "duck" is a general term. This definition is devoid of systematic significance, since it includes many species belonging to various genera and subfamilies, the feeding of which depends on the species, habits and habitat.

Those who live on land or near ponds generally follow a vegetarian diet and find food on land or just below the surface of the water by submerging their heads, necks and parts of their bodies while remaining upright. Seabirds or those inhabiting vast and deep lakes feed on small aquatic inhabitants. Exclusively piscivorous species have beaks with serrated edges adapted for holding prey.

Because ducks- opportunistic eaters who will eat almost any food offered to them, understanding what ducks eat can help poultry farmers in breeding these birds.

They are omnivorous birds that eat a wide variety of foods, and a varied diet provides them with complete nutrition for healthy duckling growth, muscle development, feather development and reproduction. Knowing what to feed your ducks will help you get a healthy bird population.

In wild and domestic ducks those who have the opportunity to feed on the pond or its surroundings, in the diet there is a wide range of different feeds, which includes:

In addition to these foods, some birds also ingest sand, gravel, and pebbles to provide a stomach grind that aids their digestion.

While all ducks are regularly omnivorous, feeding ducks depends on several factors.

It is, first of all, species. Some species specialize in certain types of food. Marines eat primarily fish. Those who live in trees have nuts or fruits in their diet.

The feeding of ducks also varies depending on the season. Many birds eat insects in spring and summer, which provides the best nutrition for growing ducklings. However, in the autumn-winter season, insects are not so common and birds switch their attention to more affordable products. In winter, ducks use every possible food source.

Another factor that affects the feeding of ducks is the area of ​​\u200b\u200bresidence. Ducks that live in fields or grasslands will eat more grains and grasses, while those that live in coastal areas will consume more fish, algae and crustaceans. When the area changes during migration, the diet also changes. If there is not enough food, then the habitat area may expand to find other food sources.

The landscape where the bird lives also affects the food that will make up the majority of its diet. Ducks that prefer swamps and lakes consume more amphibians and small fish, and birds - even of the same species living in open parks and grassy areas - are more likely to eat grasses, weeds and grains. Ducks living in forest areas eating a lot of nuts.

What can you feed domestic ducks

To ensure that these birds are getting the best possible diet, a small amount of fresh duck feed containing essential minerals and vitamins should be purchased regularly. When buying, you need to pay attention to the expiration date of the purchased food.

It is important to store food in a tightly closed plastic container, in a cool dry place. Avoid storing food in metal containers. Protect food from light and heat, as this can rapidly destroy vitamins that are critical to duck health.

The best foods for ducks include:

Ducks should receive plenty of fresh feed daily. Supplementary feed should be disposed of daily, especially in wet weather. Many ducks love to dip their food into the water while eating so they should have a bowl of fresh water.

Access to clean, fresh water is very important for all birds. Ducks, on the other hand, need a constant supply of fresh water for drinking, as well as access to water for bathing. These birds are very susceptible to botulism, so it is important that their water supply is clean and well aerated. In artificial small ponds or ponds, this means regular removal of dead leaves and other plant matter, as well as periodic cleaning. In a natural reservoir, water should not be polluted by domestic or industrial wastewater.

Safe for birds plastic or stainless dishes for food and water. Galvanized or metal dishes can leach heavy metals into water and food, causing toxicity.

How to feed ducklings

Usually ducklings do not eat within 24 hours after birth. After this period, they gradually begin to eat "pellets", tiny balls of certain duck food that can be found in pet stores.

Young ducklings grow very fast and need foods high in protein and calories. For the first 3 weeks of life, they should be fed a starter diet containing 18–20% protein. From weeks 4 to 13, switch to a 14 percent protein maintenance diet.

If the ducklings don't want to eat, try adding some water to the feeder to make the food softer. You can also add a small amount of sugar during the first days.

Very weak ducklings may require a nutrient rich diet, so they need to mash duck egg yolk.

Ducklings need constant access to food, as they grow very quickly and need constant feeding. They should also have constant access to a drinking bowl of water.

You can switch to adult duck food after about 16 weeks.

Avoid giving foods that are not specific to this bird species.

If desired, fruits and finely chopped vegetables can be prepared and given to ducklings as supplementary food.

Don't feed ducks for chicken chickens, as it does not contain nutrients suitable for these birds.

What to feed wild ducks? Unfortunately, the food that most people associate with ducks, bread, is harmful to these birds. People love to feed wild birds with bread, but bread is the equivalent of unhealthy food for both wild and domestic birds.

A diet of baked goods or breads such as crackers, cookies, donuts, chips, cereals will cause health problems including obesity, malnutrition and poor development. Feeding bread can increase the spread of disease. A carbohydrate-rich diet leads to more bowel movements, and bird feces contain bacteria responsible for numerous diseases.

Rotting bread in water promotes disease and attracts pests and predators such as rats, raccoons, and other mammals that can prey on ducklings or even attack adult ducks.

Ducks can be in addition to the main food give several nutritious foods such as corn, oats, chopped vegetables and lettuce.

Beware of giving moldy bread to birds. Mold can lead to a lung disease called aspergillosis, which is often fatal.

Chocolate is toxic to a large number of animals, including ducks.

Never add milk to food or its derivatives. These animals are not known to be mammals and do not have the enzymes to digest lactose. The absence of these enzymes causes severe diarrhea and dehydration and even death of the bird.

Raising wild ducks at home can be a good business idea. Due to the fact that they are unpretentious in food, do not need increased attention, constantly lay eggs, and can bring a good and constant income to the farmer. It is up to the farmer himself to determine why to grow this bird. Feeding, even a lot of heads, will not be any problem, since the duck is not very picky about food. Duck is a bird that has become widespread in Russia, as it has dietary meat, does not require special conditions of detention, and is immune to many types of diseases.

Wild duck is good because it is adapted to a sharp drop temperature regime. To maintain it, you do not need to buy expensive heaters and fluorescent lamps. Chicks do not need incubators. The bird is accustomed to live and breed in conditions wildlife. The same conditions should be maintained when breeding untamed duck privately. For them, you can build a small brick shed with a paddock for walking and a canopy, under which the bird can hide from rain, snow or scorching sunlight. Growing them in the warm season is still easier than during the frost period. Since in the warm season they spend most of their time in the immediate vicinity of water bodies, they also get their own food there.

Note. In summer, there is a lot of fresh greens, which ducks need for the normal functioning of the intestines and the gastrointestinal tract.

Duck meat is considered dietary, as it has a low content of animal fats. It contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals that are simply necessary for the human body. Duck liver has very useful properties. Of course, foie gras is made from the liver of ducks raised in special conditions. The liver of this duck breed can reach 500 gr. In home-raised wild ducks, this organ will not be as large, but beneficial features it is present in full.

Wild ducks at home

For growing wild ducks at home, a natural method is more suitable than a cellular one. In cages, the bird will begin to mope. This depressive state can develop into an illness. The natural way is considered more profitable. The bird carries more eggs, eats a sufficient amount of greens, fishes in ponds, respectively, feed costs are reduced, it gains weight better, which, when slaughtered, will bring more profit.

When the chicks hatch, it is recommended to keep them warm. This can be done in an artisanal way: put a wooden box lined with foam plastic or other insulation on a container of hot water. Small ducklings are placed in the box. It is most convenient to raise chicks in the spring. It is in the spring that little ducklings can be fed with their usual products. In the spring there is no need to additionally warm the location of the ducklings. It will be enough just to protect them from through winds.

Ducks can also hatch other people's chicks, who for some reason turned out to be orphans. The duck will safely feed and raise other people's cubs, without dividing the chicks into relatives and non-relatives. If you feed wild ducklings in the same way as domestic ducklings, their meat will not differ. In wild ducklings that feed on natural conditions, the meat is a little tougher.

The most common wild ducks that can live at home are the mallard, gray duck and red-headed pochard. Most of the other breeds are listed in the Red Book.

Feeding wild ducks

Regardless of the time of year, ducks need fluids. That is, there should always be clean water in the drinking bowl. It is recommended to change it once or twice a day. This is done in order to prevent many diseases, as they can be transmitted through water.

In the summer, ducks have an increased need for fresh herbs and fish products.

In the first week of life, young chicks should be fed once every three hours. How to feed wild ducklings at home?

The diet of little ducklings may include:

• Barley;
• crushed grain;
• Crushed boiled eggs;
• Nettle greens:
• green clover;
• legumes;
• Salt;
• crushed shells;
• Fish fat;
• Feed containing fermented milk products, etc.

When the duckling reaches the age of one month, he switches to three meals a day. At this age, food waste, greens from ponds, carrot and potato tops can be included in the diet of ducklings.

Feeding wild ducks

There are foods that ducks are forbidden to eat, such as: bread, spoiled feed. These products can cause fermentation processes in the body of a bird, respectively, the risk of infections, diarrhea, and poisoning increases. Also, ducks do not perceive food in which there is a high content of sugar or various chemical components. Eating such foods can end up very badly for a duck.

In order for wild ducks to bring eggs, they must be fed with their usual food. What to feed wild ducklings? Most often, it is a grass that grows in water bodies. If it is not possible to add algae to the diet, then you can purchase food in specialized food stores that are intended specifically for wild breeds. They contain all the vitamin composition that ducks are used to in the wild.

In order for the bird to return to its home in the evening, you need to accustom it to evening feeding. Ducks develop a reflex that at a certain time, in a certain place they will receive delicious food, so after walking, they will return home on their own.

Duck chicks at an early age eat the same way as chicken chicks. But ducklings grow and develop many times faster than chickens.

Young ducklings do not eat much food. But a farmer who decides to start breeding wild ducks at home should pay special attention to nutrition. With an unbalanced diet or a lack of vitamins and nutrients, ducklings begin to get sick. The first sign of poor nutrition is weak lower limbs. As soon as this symptom has become noticeable, the chicks should be immediately fed with vitamins.

decoy duck

Wild ducks spend a lot of time on water bodies. There are many signs associated with the quacking of these birds, namely on water bodies. For the most part, they predict large monetary gains. Small chicks should not be left in open water for a long time, as there is a high risk of catching a cold. The best option would be to place a large container of water in the place where the family of ducks lives.

Upon reaching the age of one month, wild ducks should be released into open water gradually. In the first week, 3 hours a day will be enough.

decoy duck

Ducks, like other domestic and wild birds, are susceptible to diseases. If you follow the right care and monitor the quality of the products consumed by ducks in captivity, many diseases can be avoided.

Note! Some diseases can be transmitted to humans through the meat of infected poultry.

The place where the ducklings live must be kept clean and disinfected at least once a week, as well as treat the walls and floor with insect repellents. This procedure can prevent some serious infectious diseases.

Note! Do not be afraid that the duck will grow up, stand on the wing and leave its familiar place. In most cases, she gets used to the house, to constant, guaranteed food and water. She will not want to stay in an unfamiliar area for her and will look for her familiar place.

There is a species of bird that is specially bred to attract males to the herd. Such ducks are called decoys. A decoy duck is exclusively a female, respectively, it lures exclusively drakes. Males that are nearby flock to her voice to mate. That's how hunters catch them. The most common decoy is the mallard. For drakes, its appearance is important. She should be the owner of brown eyes, the plumage should be brown, the beak should be golden with a black ending, a high chest, the correct curve of the back. Also, it must be necessarily healthy, since the male will not mate with a sick female, due to the birth of unhealthy offspring. The timbre of the voice plays an important role. Males will not pay attention to the high and clear voice. But a slight hoarseness will interest the drake. The ideal age is 4 to 9 months. It should also be borne in mind that a good decoy duck is extremely talkative. It is sold in nurseries. There are people who are breeding decoy birds. When choosing, it is recommended to pay attention to mobility and aggressiveness. The best will be the one with these qualities at its best. You can also grow decoy ducks at home. This business will also bring good profits. Breeding decoy ducks does not require much effort.

In the summer, the decoy duck needs two meals a day. In winter, the number of meals should be doubled. By the middle of spring, the amount of food is reduced so as not to feed it, since an overfed bird will not energetically call the drake to itself.

feeding ducks

It is not difficult to tame a decoy duck. It will take some time for her to get used to the person, then she needs to be hand-fed, be present when she bathes in a pond. The first time in order to tame, it should be taken more often in your arms. Even a novice hunter can handle this.

On the 70th day of life, the male duck begins to molt, therefore, for the convenience of butchering the carcass, it is recommended to slaughter it before the molting period. Yes, and drake meat, after reaching the age of 2.5 months, there is nowhere to put it, as it becomes tough. This must be done so that later it is easy to pluck the carcass.

There are several plucking processes. But in order to successfully sell duck meat, you should know the nuances of each method. The first method is called hot. It is ideal for those who are going to immediately prepare a poultry dish and eat it. The fact is that with this method of plucking, due to the high temperature of exposure to the feather, the skin and meat may change color slightly. It is not recommended to freeze even slightly smoked meat. It should be consumed immediately. The second method is called dry. It is more suitable in cases where the meat needs to be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for some time.

Outwardly, wild ducks look more graceful than large farm birds. This makes one think about the difficulties in breeding them. Is it so? And how to grow a healthy and strong livestock, we will tell in our material.

Features of a wild bird

Did you know?During molting, wild ducks lose their ability to fly.

The undoubted advantage of wild ducks over domestic breeds is their strong immunity, which is developed by a bird that lives in freedom. Among the shortcomings, it is worth highlighting the tougher meat and their relatively small size.

But, if the diet of these birds does not differ from the diet of domestic ones, then their meat will soon acquire other taste qualities, it will become like an ordinary duck.
These waterfowl get along well with domestic herds, successfully breed in captivity and breed healthy offspring. A distinctive feature of these birds is eggs with a green shell.

What breed to choose

Most popular breeds:

Important!It is best to catch ducks when there are a lot of grown-up youngsters who do not yet know how to fly well enough.

How to catch a wild duck live for breeding at home

There are three main ways to catch a wild duck alive. Some can only be handled by experienced hunters, and some can be handled even by a beginner.

So, you can catch a wild inhabitant of rivers and lakes alive with the help of:

• loops;
• traps;
• hands.

Video: how to catch a wild duck with a trap Only experienced hunters can handle catching with a noose: the bird is attracted with bait (the food it loves) and the hunter, sitting in ambush, tightens the noose on its paws or torso. The complexity of the method lies in the high risk of bird injury

Trapping is much easier. To catch a bird alive and unharmed, all you need is a box or a cage equipped with a special return mechanism that is triggered by the weight of the duck. When the bird sits on the roof of the trap, it will fall inside. To facilitate the process of fishing, you can use baits that are placed on the lids of the boxes.

Did you know?Duck feathers cannot be wetted with water without subjecting them to special treatment.

Catching wild birds with their hands is only possible for those who know the basic rules for the behavior of ducks. With an approaching danger, the queen diverts the predator's attention to itself, and the young of the bird tries to hide. At this time, he is most vulnerable, because the birds do not move and sit still.

Breeding wild ducks at home

Breeding wild ducks in captivity is almost the same as breeding domestic poultry.

Nutrition and feeding

Whatever the diet of wild ducks, they will never gain the mass of their domestic counterparts. The only thing that can be achieved with such a diet is the similarity in taste of wild and domestic poultry meat. In the wild, these waterfowl eat fish, river vegetation, algae, and small insects.

In captivity, you can feed ducks with hard varieties of barley and buckwheat, fresh fish, small crustaceans, bloodworms. The food should be crushed, but not very finely.
Be sure to eat birds should eat medium-sized pebbles and clean river sand. It is also important that the ducks have 24/7 access to a clean drinking water. Ducklings eat the same things that chickens eat - grass, boiled eggs, vitamin supplements.

Bird care

The owner should take care of regular cleaning in the duck house. This will help prevent the spread of various diseases.

Important! In the summer, a weak solution of potassium permanganate must be added to the water for waterfowl to protect the livestock from intestinal infections.

Since wild ducks have strong immunity, their vaccination is carried out only in farms that are disadvantaged in terms of morbidity.

Video: breeding wild ducks at home It is important that the bird has the opportunity to freely walk around the territory of the poultry house - for wild ducks, walking and the availability of natural or artificial reservoirs are required. The paddock should be equipped with a canopy that will help protect the birds from rain and sun.

These birds tolerate cold well, so the duckling does not need special heating. But it is better if the owner still takes care of protecting the herd from severe frosts and provides for the possibility of warming the room. Also, the duck house should be ventilated daily to avoid the spread of various infections.

The room must be clean and dry. The duck house itself should be spacious enough - the ideal density of heads is no more than three per square meter. In the warm season, waterfowl feel comfortable in the fresh air, where they can stay around the clock.
With the onset of cold weather, they need to organize lighting (daylight hours to preserve egg production should last at least 14 hours) and insulate the floors with a thick layer of straw bedding. In nature, wild ducks build their nests in small holes.

At home, special nests can be built for waterfowl, but it is not a fact that the bird will want to sit on it. These birds are good mothers who boast strong and fast-growing offspring. Therefore, human intervention in the care of newborn chicks is minimized.

Breeding wild inhabitants of reservoirs at home does not require special knowledge and a lot of work. With the right approach, this can become not only interesting, but also quite profitable. After all, tasty and protein-rich meat of wild ducks is highly valued in the market, and the birds themselves are always in demand in forestry.

Many young naturalists who are just beginning to study the inhabitants of the wild often feed bread to ducks swimming in a nearby pond. At the same time, most of them do not even realize that instead of taking care of the birds, they cause irreparable harm to these waterfowl. After reading this article, you will find out what ducks that live in the wild eat.

Habitat

Since mallards are considered the most common in our country, we will talk about them. Those who want to know the name of the grass that the duck eats will probably be interested in what conditions these birds live in. The traditional habitat of the wild mallard is considered to be shallow open water bodies of artificial or natural origin. These can be stakes, rivers, lakes or ponds around which grow or shrubs.

Wild waterfowl ignore rocky and bare shores, as there is no place suitable for nesting. In winter, mallards migrate to regions with a warm climate. However, they can live quietly throughout the year on non-freezing reservoirs.

Lifestyle Features

Before moving on to what wild ducks eat, it is necessary to understand the basic nuances of their lifestyle. These live in the northern part of America, Europe and Asia. In October-November, the birds, huddled in huge flocks, fly off to warmer climes. The favorite wintering places are such countries as Italy, Greece and Spain. Colonies of mallards that have arrived in southern water bodies often stretch over several square kilometers. The sound made by such a flying flock is vaguely reminiscent of the sound of the surf.

In February or March, wild ducks go to nest in the northern and temperate latitudes. Interestingly, mallards rarely appear in open water. Most often they try to hide in the thick of aquatic vegetation. These birds love to roam the shallows and dig in the mud. The mallard has well-developed sense organs. These cautious, intelligent and cunning birds are able to adequately assess circumstances and are quite easily domesticated.

A few words about nesting

For those who want to figure out what ducks eat, it does not hurt to find out that the birds that have arrived at the nesting break into pairs. Mating on the water is accompanied by loud cries. Females lay eggs in a secluded dry place. Unpretentious nests, built from dry leaves and carelessly twisted stems, are covered with duck down.

One female lays from eight to sixteen oblong eggs of a grayish-white hue, which do not differ in appearance from eggs. Hatching takes 24-28 days. Females selflessly hatch their offspring, leaving the nest only in case of emergency. Hatched chicks literally the next day go to the water. The young growth grows quite quickly and by the age of six weeks begins to fly.

What is the diet of waterfowl?

Those who are interested in what ducks eat will not hurt to know that the weight of these birds directly depends on the amount of food available to them. As a rule, they are forced to take care of their own food. The basis of their diet is made up of small amphibians, insects and aquatic plants.

It should be noted that ducks with the same appetite eat frogs, worms, small fish, snails, grasshoppers, duckweed and sedge. Often they make nightly forays into nearby farmers' fields where cereals are grown. As for the amount of food, females incubating offspring require twice as much food. It should be noted that in the summer, the basis of the bird's diet is vegetable feed. At this time, they feed on the fruits, leaves and stems of plants.

What can you feed wild ducks?

Waterfowl living in close proximity to human habitation are often fed by people. In order not to cause irreparable harm to the health of waterfowl, it is important to know what geese, ducks and other inhabitants of natural and artificial reservoirs eat. Those who really want to help birds need to remember that they can be fed with grated cheese, oatmeal, soft vegetables and fruits. All these products are especially useful in the spring, when females hatch chicks.

In addition, there is another list, which includes the so-called neutral products that can not harm ducks, but do not bring them much benefit. These include small fish, cabbage and potatoes.

What should not be fed to wild ducks?

Paradoxically, it is strictly forbidden to feed birds with white bread. It does not contain any ingredients valuable for poultry. This product fills the bird's stomach, creating a false feeling of fullness and forcing the duck to stop looking for more wholesome food. If, despite the prohibitions, you still want to treat the ducks with bread, leave it on the shore. Otherwise, you risk polluting the reservoir and provoking the death of some of its inhabitants. Also on the list of non-recommended foods are milk, peanuts, and any food that contains saturated fats.

For those who do not know how much ducks eat, it will be interesting that birds should not be given too much food. This is due to the fact that the feathered inhabitants of reservoirs, accustomed to regular feeding, begin to partially lose the instinct to search for food. In addition, such birds refuse to fly to warmer climes in a timely manner and often die in the winter cold.