Monster Mallard (1 Viewer)

jeff · Jan 6, 2003

I went to draycote water this weekend looking for a immature shag (I'm sure thats illegal!!!), but it never happened, but I did see a few mallards amongst other things.

My question, how big do mallards get......... cause there was one and it was the size of a goose!!! It was prob. 2-3 times the size of the others.

Is this normal....... or has someone been feeding this duck steriods in its bread.

IanF · Jan 6, 2003

I've seen some pretty big ones myself. Some strains do seem to get quite large. The cross obviously bred ones usually are quite a bit larger, but even the apparently true plumaged ones can be massive.

Ashley beolens · Jan 6, 2003

As far as i am aware, any Mallard that is over the normal size is likely to be a hybrid of some sorts, probably originally with farm yard ducks, but with most of the white plumage bred out. I see a few in my local area on the canal mainly.

But hey I could be wrong maybe its a new super sized Mallard!!

jeff · Jan 7, 2003

He was certainly a big fella and looked and quaked like the rest of the regulars....

All i can say is I pitty the female who gets him on her back 8-P

jeff · Feb 8, 2003

Well here he is.......... Is this a hybrid?

IanF · Feb 8, 2003

It does look more Mallard like than some hybrids that I've seen, but looking at the colouring and the other mallards with it, it certainly looks to be well interbred.
That size, it makes you wonder did it cross breed with a turkey !

cjay · Feb 8, 2003

It's nothing more than a common Mallard. It is no bigger than any I have seen. Perhaps it is a bit fatter than wild Mallard due to being fed bread. Other than that I cannot see why it should be any different from any other Mallard.

CJ

jeff · Feb 8, 2003

Wow, you must have big mallards in your area, its the biggest i've ever seen.
Do you not think its taller as well as fatter?

I'm sure the other mallards must be eating the same bread as him!

Heres another view of it next too another male..... or is the other male just small

steve_nova · Feb 8, 2003

Jeff,

That is one huge bird! I'm no expert, but surely this must be a hybrid, not a pure species as JacobC suggests. I think the second image shows this better as the female bird is level with it to get scale.

There isn't a nuclear power station near by is there?!

jeff · Feb 8, 2003

No nuclear plant, or as far as i know there isnt. I think Severn Trent must be putting something in the water.

I'll go with the majority, hybrid Mallard of some sort or other, unless someone has another theory, but its def. on the big side then

I'll have to take a trip to East Anglia if this is the norm.

Andrew · Feb 8, 2003

That's a stonker and what bright red feet too. Musta been that randy cockerel from a joke somewhere else on this forum.

bcurrie · Feb 8, 2003

Definitely a large Mallard. The first one is hard to tell size, but the second one is obvious. Both are also full adults. I don't see a lot of hybrid signs. Well, there are "giants" in every species, including mankind, maybe he is just an anomalie.

Geoff Pain · Feb 8, 2003

You haven't got King Kong down there as well have you??

Geoff

Reader · Feb 8, 2003

That just has to be a hybrid. The feet are outageously bright orange. The white neck collar looks wider than I have seen and the white rear seems far too big.

If it isn't a hybrid then that is one heck of a christmas dinner!!

Camberley red · Feb 8, 2003

Jeff

The Mallard is about as big as the file size, I pity forum members on dial up Internet! why not try and compress the files a bit, you can easily get the same quality with a jpeg file of about 50k, not the 500k you are sending.

Paul

T0ny · Feb 8, 2003

Talking of Christmas Dinners, John, a certain poultry producer whose initials are BM have developed a turkey with four legs, for large families who each want a drumstick. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to catch one of them yet.

Tony

steve_nova · Feb 9, 2003

Tony, I'm sure i've heard that one told by Ken Dodd as a three legged chicken!

Geoff Pain · Feb 9, 2003

Well done jeff if you play your cards right there could be a Knighthood in this for you.:king: I was a bit sceptical at first,thought it might be a wind up,but after consulting some of the worlds leading 0rnithologists,believe it not to be so.
Myself and Dr.Os.T.Rich are of the opinion that the bird in photographs is closely related to the Great Auk.Three factors swung opinion in this direction they are
1.The mallards amorous nature

2.The posture of the bird

3.The size of the bird

We therefore conclude that you should immediately submit your sighting to the Rareties Committee.It being a new species you can of course name it,we were thinking of Jeff's Greater Mallard.
I hope this species soon spreads across the country and I look forward to being able to add Jeff's Greater Mallard to my local list in the not to distant future.
Once again well done Sir jeff.

Geoff :t:

T0ny · Feb 9, 2003

Steve,
Thank God you said Ken Dodd and not Bob Monkhouse.

Tony

jeff · Feb 9, 2003

Mmmmm. I think Geoff doesn't believe........

Well all i can say is if you go to Draycote, keep your eyes open you just might catch a glimpse of "Jessie" the Draycote Reservoir monster (well hes gotta have a name now hasn't he), the two times i've been, he was sighted near the hide (theres only one hide), forget the Smew, Long-tailed duck, Shag, G-N Diver, Slavs' etc, I'm sure the mallard.x will be pulling them in for miles, but then again JacobC its only a common mallard no bigger than they get in East Anglia.

I'm sure others must have seen the beast of Draycote, surely I can't be the only one.....

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