[mou] Re: Mallard feeding behavior

[John Schladweiler]

Although dabbling ducks normally only dabble, they are opportunistic and =
will occassionally dive for their food.  Because they are not well adapted =
for diving, they are only able to go a foot or so below the surface of the =
water.  Back in 1967, I observed a great many Blue-winged teal diving for =
food on a wetland in Lac qui Parle County.  An article about this was =
published in The Loon.  There was also another observation of teal diving =
published in The Loon the same year.

John Schladweiler
New Ulm

>>> "Ronus J" <ronusj@hotmail.com> Wednesday, August 10, 2005 >>>
At a lake in northern Minnesota, we watched a female Mallard diving and=20
eating clams. She was in about two feet of water and after diving down =
would=20
come back up with a clam in her mouth. When she swallowed, the clam=20
protruded from her neck as it went down. She consume eight clams in 15=20
minutes.   I was surprised at this behavior as I thought Mallards were=20
simply dabblers. Only one of my guidebooks (Smithsonian) noted that =
Mallards=20
sometimes eat mollusks and dive.

Sharon K.
Minneapolis


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