Daft Duck Question

[Muddypaws]

I was looking at some Mallard drakes on a local pond today, and I saw some strange behaviour. One of them was diving (that is to say complete submersion for a second or two and popping up several feet away). I know there are diving ducks, but I wouldn't associate this with Mallards, which normally up-end, with their bottoms sticking up in the air. Has anyone else seen this before, and is it common behaviour that I have just not been observant enough to notice before?

 

[Barn Owl]

It is quite common.

They do it for food, e.g. nuts on the floor of the water.

 

[lab72]

common behavior seen it loads when i have been fishing.

 

[Muddypaws]

Thanks guys, I guess I'm just not very observant. Actually these ducks were on a deeper pond than where I usually watch ducks, so perhaps the ones I usually see haven't got the room to do these diving feats.

 

[JonathanD]

Actually these ducks were on a deeper pond than where I usually watch ducks, so perhaps the ones I usually see haven't got the room to do these diving feats.

That's it, you pretty much summed it up. It's amazing to watch them swim underwater for great distances. They are really agile and can get up to some impressive speeds with sharp turns.

 

[Bigfoot]

He probably just dropped his spork.