Those of us who walk near ponds and streams never tire of watching mallard groups drift lazily across the water. Mallards are highly adaptable and also forage and nest in farm fields and urban areas. Although mallards appear abundant, their numbers have actually been declining since 1998. A research project described in a recent Audubon magazine article has revealed a potential cause.
In 2021, a group of scientists launched a study to understand the reason for this downward trend. Trackers were attached to nearly 1200 female mallards to gather data and provide updates the the birds’ activities and nesting behavior.
Vast amounts of data were collected, and one likely explanation has surfaced. It was discovered that a high number of the tracked ducks don’t migrate. A possible reason may involve genetics.
Since the 1940’s over a million farm-raised Mallards have been released for hunting, resulting in decades of domestic ducks mating with wild ones. Today, more than 90 percent of eastern Mallards are comprised of these hybrid ducks. The hybrid Mallards are more likely to inhabit urban environments, and less likely to migrate or incubate a nest.
Researchers are hopeful that continued tracking and research will provide an understanding of how to help the species recover and develop strategies to slow the decline.
Article by Judy Cadmus
