Ducks

Arboretum Duck

Mallards are the most common species of ducks spotted in the Arboretum but there are also a number of others. Despite the amazing menagerie of well cultivated plants existing in the Arboretum, not to mention all the other birds and animals, the ducks seem to be what many people remember the most. Perhaps this is because there are a billion of them, and are in fact overpopulated. And what do people remember most about the ducks? Ducks love bread. Ducks really, really love bread.

Male ducks are generally called "drakes" and females "hens" — if you're not sure, check the tail feathers and the voice of the duck. Males have curly tail feathers during the winter and spring and have a much raspier voice (even when there's no shouting after the girls to be done). The hen's tail feathers remain straight year-round and her voice is much clearer/louder. During the summer, mallard drakes go into "eclipse" - their plumage changes to brown and they look like the girls. Don't worry, the voices don't change with the summer styles; our drakes are usually quite secure in their collective sexuality.

Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos

A mallard drake, & 1/2 a hen

Male (top) and female (bottom) mallard ducks.

mallard hen

3 ducks under a Red Bud

Aix sponsa

Don't be fooled by its red eyes. This is not a UCD undergraduate, but a male Wood duck.

A male and female wood duck.

All of these ducks are Mallard Hybrids. These ducks are usually released by well-meaning duck owners who believe their pets will be "happier in the wild" — not always the best idea. The released animals then breed with our wild Mallards and spread their domestic characteristics into the population. But, hey, what would the arboretum be without ducks nibbling at your feet and begging for food?

A Pekin drake (domestic breed). They make a tasty dish from these in China. Quick! Swim away little ducky!

Two fawn-and-white Runner drakes and a mallard hen.

A Swedish Blue hen (not the scientific name) waddles along.

A Swedish Blue drake (not the scientific name) takes a drink.

April 2007

April 2007

There was a July 16, 2004 study done on campus that calculated the number of ducks that the Arboretum could support. The arboretum has too many ducks.

Here's why you shouldn't feed the ducks. You might think that these signs located throughout the Arboretum would have an effect, but you'd be wrong. That dust in the wind; it's breadcrumbs.

Another funny sign by StevenWorker.

It is all around a bad idea to feed wild animals (including ducks) because it makes them dependent on humans for food.

• Wild animals have specialized diets and can die from the wrong foods.
  

• Providing an artificial food source causes adults to produce large families which the natural food supply can't support.
  

• It can be illegal to feed wildlife depending on the animal and the location.
  

• Feeding causes wildlife to lose their natural fear of humans.
  

• Feeding changes behavior patterns, sometimes with catastrophic results.

For more info on other local wild animals see Town Wildlife.

Do you think that college students are like ducks? Aggie columnist Michael Giardina thinks so.

Comments:

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I used to love ducks. But I recently heard that the males often go around in groups pinning down female ducks and "raping" them. Is this true? Sounds pretty horrible. If so, should we really compare them to college students? ColinWen

Well, its more like a duck orgy rather than rape. I say this, because I've seen this, and the female duck could easily get away, but she doesn't. I was watching this and she kinda waddles away, and the males jump her, but she doesn't run or fly away. So it makes me think she's putting up a like a token resistance. VivianPham

I had a dream recently, where I was down by the Arboretum, trying to find ducks. Because in this dream, I was trying to find God, and it made absolute sense to me, that in order to find God, I needed lots of ducks. And lo and behold, God appeared, amidst a flock of mallards, down near the Redwood grove. And God looks like a chocolate colored poodle, with a human head completely covered in dreadlocks, with no face...or maybe her (it had a woman's voice) simply was not facing me. I have no idea what the dream meant, other than ducks being necessary to find God... -MatthewTom

Orange sauce. Wayne Schiller

2007-01-02 23:00:10   Is there any law prohibiting people from killing and eating the ducks? How about crows? Povided one doesn't use a gun it's not a hazard to anyone and a much better alternative to factory farming. There certainly is no shortage of the birds. —EfremRensi

2007-05-17 18:44:44   Yes there is a law against it. I think technically Putah Creek is a wildlife preserve and it's considered hunting without a permit? Call the campus police and they can tell you. —JenniferKucich

2007-07-11 20:35:50   Several times, I've seen big groups of ducks in a frenzy, quacking like mad and exploding out of the water. Seems they're chasing after some guy riding a bike through the Arboretum throwing big handfuls of feed out for them as he goes. I guess it's better than white-bread crumbs, but 4 of the 5 items on the list above still seem to apply. If they're trying to discourage people from feeding the ducks, they should probably find a way to talk to that guy...he must be doing it pretty regularly because the ducks seem to recognize him on sight! —DukeMcAdow

2007-12-09 18:44:42   apparently duck rapings are quite common, this NYTimes article describes some research into the toic http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/science/01duck.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 —briangoldner

2009-09-15 17:05:12   What are the zoning laws about poultry in city limits and where can I buy ducklings in yolo county? —CarlosOverstreet