Posted by bill meikle on January 20, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Anyone seen this before? About 20 male mallards around 1-2 females, all swimming and seeming excited. Presume its a form of courtship.
Posted by John Tobias on January 20, 2010 at 4:05 PM
Yes I have seen it nearly every year. When I was working at the zoo, which is in a park with a large lake and a population of mallards every breeding season we would get many calls to do something about the poor duck being beat up by a bunch of other ducks. It is matting behavior. Male mallards will in mass follow and try to breed with a female. I am sure there are others who can give a more technical description, than I can.
Posted by George Secor on January 22, 2010 at 10:10 AM
Bill, John is correct and the behavior carries over to most puddle ducks. I am just not that familar with divers to generalize. You also see this type of behavior in flight where as many as a dozen drakes will chase a single hen.
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