A white duck has been left on a pond and seems to have bonded with a mallard. Will the white (Pekin?) duck be able to survive on its own without someone feeding her?

-- teri (staleym@bellsouth.net), February 15, 2002

Answers

She will be able to feed herself, but predators will be a problem.

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), February 15, 2002.

as long as the pond doesnt freeze on her

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 15, 2002.

Teri, she will find lots of food if it is a normal pond with water plants, marshy areas, some grassy areas etc. As mentioned above, freezing will do her in. Have you seen her fly? If the mallards move on she can't follow otherwise and when they migrate(if they do there) she won't be able to keep up even if she is a rare Pekin that flies.Also, ducks do not usually bed down on water, they like trying to find a hidden place in thick grass or brush. Therefore, the Pekin will stick out like a sore thumb and is likely to get taken by predators. Thats the pits isn't it? Hope she is OK. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 15, 2002.

As long as there is another duck for it to learn from, what is good to eat, what is danger, it should be ok, but in winter it would have nothing to eat.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), February 15, 2002.