Duck Mating & courtship
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the lowdown on duck sexy time
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What the duck? Trying to make sense of duck mating and courtship?
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We’ve lived with ducks for over 10 years. Here’s a quick primer:
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Disclaimer
: This info doesn’t apply to ALL duck species, just Mallards and domestic Mallard-derived breeds…
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Duck love isn’t always binary.
#1. So much love to give
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Our girls frolic and bond with each other as readily as they do with a male.
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Our male (drake) is even less discriminating and will often mate with the pond pipe.
Mi amor!
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Only a male + female mating will produce a fertilized egg. (Yes, you can still eat it)
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Ducks do NOT mate for life
(although our domestic ducks will show strong life-long preferences)
#2. Switching it up
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Ducks (esp. wild) are seasonally monogamous, pairing up for a single mating season but NOT typically for life.
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Ducks aren’t always “in the mood.”
Fancy a cuddle instead?
#3. Not tonight dear...
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Just as with wild Mallards, domestic ducks only get those loving feelings in the warm months with long daylight hours.
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Ducks have different plumage throughout the year. Males’ showy NUPTIAL plumage is intended to attract & keep a mate.
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Their ECLIPSE plumage occurs outside of mating season in order to provide predator camouflage.
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Wild ducks mate from spring through early summer. Domestic duck mating season can be much longer.
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“Head bobbing” - Both sexes will headbob next to each other to indicate a desire to mate.
#4. Down to business...
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“Flat backing” - The bottom duck will then flatten out in order to provide a sturdy platform for the top duck to jump aboard.
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Neck/head grabbing - The top duck then uses their bill to grab hold of the bottom duck via the back of their head and neck as mating initiates.
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Side note: If you pet your duck on the back of their neck or head, they might have a different interpretation of your affection than you do.
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“Whistle grunt” - Immediately after the deed is done, males often lower their heads, take a victory lap, and issue forth a whistle-grunt sound.
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No your male duck isn’t dying - that’s his penis.
#5. What is THAT??!!
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Only 3% of bird species have penises, but ducks have some of the longest penises in the animal kingdom.
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After mating, a drake’s penis can take a few minutes to retract. If you’ve never seen one before, this might be a frightful experience for you.
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Duck libido doesn’t slow down much with age. We have 10-year-old ducks that still act like hormonal teens.
#6. Teenage libido
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If you have backyard ducks, make sure they have a pond to mate in to prevent foot or leg injuries.
#7. Practice safe sex!
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Yes, ducks are... amazing. 😬Want to dive deeper into duck mating & courtship? Bring your cute self on over... 😉
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