Wild duck and its breeding
The mallard is a duck bird that has several species. Habitat - Russia and all of Eurasia, America, Africa and even Australia. It is one of the most popular hunting objects. Wild ducks can be bred at home if the conditions are right for them. The mass of birds is less than that of domestic breeds, but the meat has an excellent taste and is not as fatty. In addition, some species are very beautiful and are kept as ornamental birds.
Wild duck
Types of wild ducks
All types of wild ducks, photos of which can be seen on the network, are divided into two types: river, or gray, and diving to great depths, diving. Indo-ducks are found in America, which are genetically far from the Eurasian species. They differ among themselves in the habitat, in the method of obtaining food, reproduction, in the number of ducklings in the brood, in voice and appearance. Some breeds are quite common, others are listed in the Red Book and hunting for them is prohibited. Below is a brief description and name of some of the breeds.
Mallard
The mallard species is the most common breed of wild ducks and is quite large. Its distinctive feature is the different plumage of males and females. The drake is gray, its head is green with a beautiful shimmer. There is a white ring on the neck, the breast is brown or brown. Some tail feathers are black. The female is brownish-red, her plumage merges with the environment. The beak of birds of both sexes is olive, the legs are bright orange.
The mallard is large, the drake weighs up to 1.5 kg, the duck is 0.8-1.4 kg, the body length is 60 cm, the wingspan in flight is 90 cm.The mallards live both near forest swamps and lakes, and in city parks ... From the northern territories, for example, from Siberia, they fly away for the winter to regions with a milder climate.
Gogol
Gogol ducks are smaller than mallards. Females weigh 0.5-1.3 kg, males - 0.7-1.5 kg, body length - about 50 cm. The color of the drake is very beautiful. The head is black with a tint, white spots under the eyes. The sides and breast are also white, and the back is black. The coloring of the females is more modest, smoky gray. The lower part of the body is white. A characteristic feature of gogols is a triangular head.
Merganser
The big merganser is the largest representative of wild ducks. Its weight ranges from 0.8 kg to 2.1 kg, body length - 58-66 cm. This breed of wild ducks has an interesting plumage. Secondary flight wings are covered with a dark pattern; in drakes, it resembles zebra stripes. The head of the male is black, the body is white, there is a clear line of separation between the color of the head and the body. Females have a light gray back, brown-red head, white sides and tummy. The crest is clearly visible on the head of ducks of both sexes.
The merganser lives throughout Eurasia, both in the west and east of the Urals. Birds nest in flocks of 500 individuals. They feed on aquatic vegetation and fish, because their meat has a specific smell.It disappears only in late autumn, when the birds are gaining weight.
Gray duck
Gray ducks look almost like mallards, only they are smaller, a drake weighs 0.6-1.3 kg, a duck - 0.5-1 kg, body length - 50 cm, wingspan in flight - 80-90 cm. ducks are very similar, their color is almost the same. Both are brown-gray in color, a white mirror is marked on the wings, the abdomen is also white. The beak is dark, with a bright red border.
Mandarin duck
Beautiful decorative ducks that are found in Primorye and Eastern Asian Countries (China, Japan). Small in size, their weight ranges from 0.4 to 0.7 kg. A distinctive feature of the breed is the bright mating outfit of the male, which combines orange, green, purple, blue, white and beige colors. The only breed that sits on the ropes of trees with pleasure and makes nests in hollows. Very often they are bred at home for beauty, although at the first opportunity they return to the wild.
Teal
Teal got its name because of a special cry, which resembles the sound or quack "teal-teal". These are small ducks, 30-40 cm in length and weighing up to 1 kg. Males and females are similar, they have a brown head, a slightly upturned beak and gray-brown plumage of the body. During the mating season, the drake is colored more brightly. There are several varieties of teal: whistle, cracker, klotunok, marbled. The voice and appearance of different teal breeds are different.
Habitat and way of life
The habitat and way of life of different breeds of ducks are similar. These are waterfowl that live near water bodies. Most species feed on algae, duckweed and other aquatic vegetation. Also, their diet includes mollusks, small fish, caviar, insects. Deep diving species can get food from the bottom where other animals can't reach.
The wild duck tribe plays an important role in maintaining the ecology: birds cleanse water bodies of excess vegetation, control the reproduction of fish, frogs and other living creatures. They spice up the coastal zone with their excrement.
Most of the duck species are migratory, but in the southern regions there are also those that do not change their place of residence.
The breeding process in wild ducks begins in the spring, when they arrive from warm lands. Drakes of most species "dress" in beautiful wedding garments and look after females. Fights rarely take place, although there is some element of competition between males. Ducks mate mainly in the water. After mating, the female looks for a place for a nest. Most breeds build houses on the ground. The exception is tangerines. Dives make nests in shallow water.
Females rush for 1-2 weeks, lay 7-12 eggs in the nest, then begin to incubate them. Mallards like to lay their eggs in the nests of other ducks, so sometimes there can be up to 20 ducklings in a brood.
Most females hatch eggs on their own. Males at this time are looking for food and guarding the nest, and some are generally little interested in their offspring. Egg incubation lasts 29-31 days, ducklings are born strong, they can immediately swim and get their own food. In the wild, ducks can have 1-2 broods per season, at home - 2-3.
How to catch a duck
Hunting for wild ducks is one of the most popular. The season opens in late autumn when the ducks are well fed and are about to fly away from warm lands. Also in some regions hunting is allowed in early spring, before the start of the breeding season. But at this time, the mass of ducks is less, some wild meat may have a specific smell and taste.
Many people imagine hunting ducks exclusively with a gun. But these birds can be caught without firearms. There are ways to avoid injuring the duck and then grow it at home. They are very ancient, because the first breeds were bred in this way: birds were caught near lakes, brought home, fattened, and only then sent to the slaughter.
So, how many ways are there to hunt ducks without a gun and how to catch a wild duck without injuring it? There are quite a few methods, here are some of them:
- on the hook;
- in a basket with a hinged lid;
- on a loop or snare;
- into the trap.
Ducks are attracted using a decoy, the sound of which imitates the voice of a bird. Decoy stuffed ducks are also popular.
Fishing with a hook
To catch a duck on a hook, you need to have a line, the hook itself and the bait. The fishing line is fixed on the bank with brick or stone. As bait, you can use small fish, entrails, a piece of bacon. You can put several baits and attract the ducks with semolina. The bird will swallow food with the hook and will not be able to free itself. You can use a button instead of a hook.
Basket with hinged lid
The method is more complicated, but it allows you to catch a duck without injuring it. You need to make a basket with a lid that folds inward. Secure the basket between several logs. A little earth is poured on top and bait is placed. The bird, attracted by the smell and sight of the food, climbs onto the lid and falls into the basket. You can pick it up and take it home.
Loop and snare
The self-tightening loop is installed in the place where the ducks stay for the night. A bait is placed next to it, it is best to take corn with minced fish, fry or a piece of bacon. The hunter hides next to the noose, watches over the ducks, and holds the end of the cord to tighten around the duck's neck when it finds bait. The method requires some skill, therefore, not everyone is available. The bird is injured, it must immediately be sent for slaughter.
The snare principle is the same. Only the loop is tightened not on the neck, but on the foot. You can think over the installation so that the loop tightens on the leg on its own. If a wild duck is caught by force, it will remain alive, but the leg may be broken.
Traps
There are standard traps that are rectangular boxes. At the front, a door with a cord is installed in it, which automatically closes if the ducks see the bait and go inside. Food or stuffed bird is used as bait. Instead of a box, you can make a net on a support that covers the duck. In such traps, the bird remains alive, it can be fattened at home. You can see what the traps look like in the photo.
Home content
Keeping wild ducks at home is quite possible. Contrary to popular belief, birds are easy to tame, as they become attached to feeding places. If there is a lot of food, why go back to the wild? In extreme cases, the wings are clipped to the birds. Most often, mallards are grown at home, as decorative ones - mandarin ducks, gogols. Duck care is not difficult, they eat little, so they do not require large expenses.
To keep wild breeds in the household, it is necessary to equip a corral. You can let the birds go free-range: they will return to places where there is a lot of food (to the owner's yard). A duck house is built from brick or wood, you can use an existing shed. Birds are unpretentious to conditions, the only requirement is adequate heating in winter. Wild ducks must have access to water. It is desirable that this is a natural body of water. An alternative to a pond can be a small pool or a bathroom in the yard.
How to feed wild ducks? The bird eats almost everything, but feeding should be adequate for the birds to gain weight well. The diet includes:
- small fish;
- minced meat or fish;
- aquatic plants (duckweed, algae);
- meadow grasses and rhizomes of meadow plants;
- grain, best of all barley, millet, corn;
- tops of garden plants and vegetables.
Be sure to mix fine sand, gravel, shells and chalk into the food for ducks. This is necessary for the food to be over-etched better, so that the necessary materials enter the body. You can not give black bread, baked goods, sugar, spoiled foods, so that the birds do not get sick.
Breeding ducks
Breeding wild ducks in the household is a feasible task. It should be noted that, unlike domesticated birds, these birds form pairs. If you plant several ducks on one drake, he will choose one, the rest will be ignored. With good care from a pair, you can get 2-3 broods in a season. Some species mate only in water (for example, tangerines), this should also be taken into account when planning breeding.
The duck begins to fly in April. 7-12 eggs appear in the clutch. If harvested, the duck can carry more. Wild life has developed a good maternal instinct in birds, so that they perfectly hatch and raise chicks. Incubation of eggs lasts 28-30 days. Ducklings appear fully formed, covered with fluff; already in the first hours, the duck takes them out to the pond.
Feeding young ducklings in the first days after hatching is standard. They are given a boiled egg, curd with chopped herbs. After a couple of days, steamed millet or porridge, minced meat and fish can be added to the diet. Very soon, the duck will teach them how to get food on their own. The wild duckling quickly gets on its feet, swims perfectly from birth. Chicks are very friendly, caring and attentive. They can grow even without a female, huddling in an organized flock. The survival rate of chicks with ducks is high.
How to butcher a wild duck
Many housewives ask how to pluck and butcher a wild duck. This process is not easy and requires a lot of effort. Plucking is the most time consuming step in cutting a carcass. There are several ways:
- scalding with boiling water;
- scalding in a bag;
- dry plucking.
In the first case, the duck is carefully poured with several liters of boiling water. In this case, you need to ensure that water gets on the base of the feathers. When the carcass has cooled down, you can start plucking. You can put the wild duck in a bag and put it in boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Then it is taken out and ironed with a hot iron. Feathers come off even better than in the first case. Pinching dry wild duck is the most difficult, it can take several hours, but the carcass will be stored longer. It is better to imagine the cutting process from photo and video lessons.
After the duck has been plucked, the remains of the feathers and down are burned over the fire. The finished carcass can be cut into pieces or cooked whole. After dry plucking, it can be stored well in the refrigerator for several days. If necessary, the carcasses are frozen, but then the taste of the meat deteriorates.