Mallard duck question (birds, robin, robins, wildlife)

[sunny567]

i have mallard duck at my daughters school but the crows keep killing the eggs and keep bothering the mom.yet she still stays there.what can i do?

[CrowGirl]

There's not much you can or should do. As much as we might not like it, animals compete with each other and some animals eat eggs or other animals. I'm a little surprised she is staying around if the crows are that persistent, but I'm not sure that is a good reason to intervene. I am a volunteer with a couple of wildlife rehab facilities so I certainly endorse helping when it is appropriate, such as when an animal is injured as a result of human contact (hit by a car, shot, etc.) But this sounds like nature simply playing itself out.

[FiveHorses]

Originally Posted by CrowGirl

There's not much you can or should do. As much as we might not like it, animals compete with each other and some animals eat eggs or other animals. I'm a little surprised she is staying around if the crows are that persistent, but I'm not sure that is a good reason to intervene. I am a volunteer with a couple of wildlife rehab facilities so I certainly endorse helping when it is appropriate, such as when an animal is injured as a result of human contact (hit by a car, shot, etc.) But this sounds like nature simply playing itself out.

Well said. As hard as it is, no action is sometimes the best action.

One of two things will eventually happen: either Mrs. Mallard will find a better nesting site.... or she won't. If she doesn't, her "poor nesting choice" gene won't be passed on. Survival of the fittest I'm afraid.

[dreamhunter65]

Put a fake owl in a nearby bush and move around daily. To bad at a school or could shoot crows

[phonelady61]

okay I m a little on the different side if you can catch mama and get her eggs and put her in your yard if you have one and add a small baby pool which i did one time and it worked . Leave her there untill the babys are able to get in the pool and then move her back to the school and it should be fine . I wish you luck sometimes mother nature needs a hand LOL !!!

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by sunny567

i have mallard duck at my daughters school but the crows keep killing the eggs and keep bothering the mom.yet she still stays there.what can i do?

If you're south of the Mason Dixon that's probably a mottled duck rather than a mallard, but I concur with almost everyone else.

That duck is either learning how not to lay a clutch of eggs or is simply a bad momma. Interfering with that process, while tempting, isn't necessarily helping.

[Icy Tea]

We just helped a mama mallard duck and her ducklings cross a street yesterday. I was pulling into a shopping center and noticed her just entering the exit/entrance waddling very slowly with her brood around her. She was quacking non stop heading to the street and i stopped so she could cross in front of me and then lost sight of her as she walked past or under the car. My brother got out and stopped traffic so she could cross. Luckily she picked up the pace when she saw him. I hope she made it to the creek which was nearby as were some drainage/storm water beds.
We've had a pair of ducks come down into our backyard to eat from under bird feeders
but have only seen the male lately. The neighbor has a small pond two doors up and they may have a nest nearby.
Crows are nasty birds. I was mowing my mothers yard one day and a robin was in the backyard just standing there. I had to literally mow around it since it wouldn't move. I thought maybe it flew into a window and was stunned. Then my brother who was also helping mow said that he saw a crow raid its nest in the front yard tree and eat the robins eggs. The robin apparently was in shock.

[tcrackly]

Yep, nature playing itself out. If you or I were living totally off the land a clutch of eggs would be a fine breakfast.

[CrowGirl]

People eat eggs. At least, many people do.

Everything has to eat and there is a cycle in nature.

[chaseystarz]

You kind of have to let nature run it's course. Other wise if you get caught messing with the duck you could be having to deal with this Migratory Bird Act

Migratory Bird Act (MBTA)

Division of Migratory Bird Managment -