Tim has observed a decline in the male duck population at the bridge by the open-air pool. He has observed this over the past few weeks. Among all the ducks he cannot see a single duck with full male plumage.
He has also observed that duck feeding is less frenzied than a few weeks ago.
He has observed that all the mature ducks have female plumage and a few of the juveniles seem to be growing male plumage but no mature males are visible.
Tim suggested some explanations for this decline in the male duck population:
Habitat Loss: Changes in the surrounding environment might have driven male ducks to other places.
Disease: A disease outbreak specific to male ducks.
Hormonal Factors: Pollutants in the water could be affecting the hormonal balance of ducks, leading to males becoming female.
Leisure: Male ducks have migrated to a more exciting location now the breeding season is over.
Somebody out there may be able to help.
The males are in their ‘eclipse’ plumage, a dull female-like plumage worn for a month or more in summer after breeding. It eclipses their usual bright plumage. Soon they will molt and become flightless until they grow new wing feathers.
A few years ago I read that there were too many male ducks caused by something in white bread that well-meaning people were feeding the ducks and shouldn’t.
That’s complete nonsense and there’s nothing wrong with feeding bread to ducks or swans
.https://www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/cause/official-statement-bread-queens-swan-marker/#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20good%20reason,provided%20it%20is%20not%20mouldy.
Small amounts of bread are generally felt to be OK.
https://fullfact.org/online/poster-claiming-bread-healthy-ducks-gets-its-facts-flap/
I would agree if i had seen any ducklings this year. We regularly walk that stretch and I can only remember seeing one brood.
David is correct in his analysis. There are plenty of male mallards in situ; they’ll have lost their fancy colours now that their breeding season is over. On the other point: There were some ducklings, but they grow quickly-ish to look almost like adults as they must in order to avoid predators… but also, predators are for the smallest ducklings are only too aware of an easy meal. Herons are an obvious predator of ducklings, but seagulls also take them from the water. Indeed, male mallards will drown a female mallard with ducklings through mating, particularly as she’s vulnerable whilst trying to ‘mother’/protect her young… leaving the ducklings orphaned and therefore without protection. Nature is red in tooth and claw.