Why do ducks return each year to nest in the Higgins courtyard?
Let's learn about the ducks. They are named mallards.
Mallards are the most common duck species found in North America.
The male mallard has a shiny, green head, white neck ring, brown chest, gray sides, olive green colored beak and dark back.
As with most ducks, the females mallards are not very colorful. They are light brown streaked with darker brown. This pattern is more apparent on the back than the belly. They have a characteristic dark eye stripe.
Both sexes have bright orange legs and violet blue wing patches, which are bordered by white bars on the leading and trailing edges. These wing patches are visible in flight.
Male and female mallard ducks bond as a pair That is to say that they “mate for life”.
Once a pair of mallards takes up residence they locate nests near to water, but may be up to a mile or more away.
Female mallards that raised a successful nest the previous year may return to the place where they nested before, sort of their nest home.
It takes about a day for the ducklings to come out of the egg, and soon after the ducklings are dry, the mother leads them to water. The down-covered ducklings grow rapidly. The birds are covered with down feathers for eighteen days, and their first feathers become readily apparent about the 25th day. The young are able to fly at between 40-60 days after hatching.
Mallards usually lay six to twelve eggs but sometimes more! During the laying period, the pair will still be seen together or alone at different times. The female lays one egg each day until she has completed her laying task.
She then begins to incubate the entire clutch of eggs by sitting on them most of the time, only taking very short breaks for quick meals and morning swims The male does not incubate the eggs. It is interesting to note that the female blends so nicely with her environment and sits so still when she is on her nest, she is virtually invisible from only inches away!
The eggs hatch in roughly thirty days. Even though they were laid on different days, the eggs all hatch at the same time because the incubation begins at the same time when the female starts her sitting. When the ducklings hatch, they are already fed. They huddle under mother while the remainder of their yolk sac is absorbed by their bodies and will not need to eat until the second or third day after hatching. The ducklings feed themselves from birth and are never fed by their mother.
Mallard hens with trailing babies are not an uncommon sight during breeding season. Traveling duck families have stopped traffic, delighted children and amazed onlookers as they trail down busy streets searching for the right place to call home. The Male is always following the movement though he is not usually seen. When Mom and the babies stop to roost, he will join them and then stay with his mate again. The babies will always be with mother until they are nearly ready to venture off on their own. She may occasionally leave the ducklings if frightened away by people or animals. She will quickly return to her franticly awaiting babies.
The ducklings will stay with mother until they are ready to fly. The group disperses as the grown ducklings are attracted to other flocks and fly away as pairs or singles. They are able to fly at around six to eight weeks of age. The original pair usually stays together as lifelong mates.
