What are the Mallards eating? (1 Viewer)

I have watched Mallards under an oak tree which hangs over a pond, for a number of hours, over a couple of weeks now.

I have noticed that when an acorn plops into the water, two or three ducks rush over to the splash, but that's all they do. They then resume paddling around.

Other individuals dive (not just dabble) and when they return to the surface, after two or three seconds, they are always chewing something.

My guess (crackpot theory?) is that the ducks are diving, and picking up softened, waterlogged acorns off the bottom.

Can anyone confirm this?

Hi Maljunolo,

your assumption is correct.
Soaked corn and other grain is also used for feeding waterfowl in agriculture. This website also suggests boiled potatoes, turnip pieces and acorns for feeding waterfowls during winter:
http://www.tierschutzbund.de/vogelfuetterung.html
And this hunting website mentions acorns as ideal food for attracting ducks:
https://tinyurl.com/ojlq7ur

stonechat1 said:

Hi Maljunolo,

your assumption is correct.
Soaked corn and other grain is also used for feeding waterfowl in agriculture. This website also suggests boiled potatoes, turnip pieces and acorns for feeding waterfowls during winter:
http://www.tierschutzbund.de/vogelfuetterung.html
And this hunting website mentions acorns as ideal food for attracting ducks:
https://tinyurl.com/ojlq7ur

Click to expand...

Thank you.

It is a relief to find out that my mind has not gone completely off the rails.

There is also a male Wood Duck who hangs around with the Mallards. Either he never does that, or I haven't caught him doing it.

Cheers!