Subject: Re: Ducks behavior
Date: Jan 22 11:46:16 1996
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


>Hi Tweeterland,
>
>I'd like to have some references on books describing courtship behaviors
>in Ducks.
>
>I've seen many times male ducks facing females, then bending their head
>forward/downward and then issuing a short whistle while bending backward.
>Yesterday, I also saw a female Mallard following a male. She was quacking
>(or should I say cackling) all the time bending her head alternatively
>to right and to the left.
>
>Anybody out there knowing books where such behaviors would be described.
>More general (i.e. not restricted to ducks) references on courtship
>behavior are welcome too.
>
>Thanks in advance

Courtship behavior of waterfowl is described in a variety of general books
on waterfowl and books on waterfowl of North America, but the best single
source is Paul Johnsgard's Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior. My copy is on
loan now, so I can't give a more detailed citation. Several decades old.
It's long out of print but should be in some libraries.

Ducks court all winter, so right now is a great time to see the action.
It's really quite impressive. I recommend especially goldeneyes,
buffleheads, and mergansers, a set of related species that have just about
the most spectacular courtship displays. At close range you can often hear
the vocalizations that accompany them. The male Mallard's "grunt-whistle"
display can be observed in any city park (well, any city park that contains
Mallards:-).

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416