Friday, October 21, 2011

MALLARDS On The Buffalo River

Ducks are everywhere this time of year, especially Mallards!  The Mallard is the ancestor of almost all of varieties of domestic ducks and it's fitting that they are the dominant duck along the Buffalo River.



Rieck's Lake is a popular gathering spot, but Mallards can be found throughout the Buffalo River area.


Mallards are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. 
They are migratory in our area and winter south to Mexico.
The Mallard is omnivorous and very flexible in its food choice.  The majority of the Mallard's diet seems to be made up roots, tubers, seeds, crustaceans, worms and invertebrates.  Plants generally make up a larger part of the bird's diet, especially during fall migration and in the winter.  It usually feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing.


Mallards are highly gregarious outside of the breeding season
and will form large flocks, which are known as a sord.

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