Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Ducks and more Ducks!

One of goals of building my new pond was attract more wildlife and I'm getting my wish. A pair of mallard ducks have been visiting on a regular basis this past week. It was fun watching them dive under the water and surface 15 ft away.

Now this morning they had company as a pair of wood ducks flew in as well. They explored around the pond and visited with the mallards and then they all left after a while. Hopefully they will all come back. I'll see if how the pictures turn as it barely light out.

The challenge as I see it is I have zero cover around the pond other than some newly planted blue spruces that are mulched. I would like to have a couple of houses but Im not crazy about putting them in the pond. Any advise as we enjoy seeing the wildlife?

Also we have a pair of geese visiting as well, however we have done our best to discourage them from staying.

First off, I'm jealous.
Put up wood duck houses. They don't need to be in the water by any means, but they definitely need to be protected from predation. Since you describe your landscape as fairly barren, this precludes the need for concern for overhanging limbs. Your only concern, then, would be protecting the supporting pole from climbers.

Do it; it's the right thing to do. You will be glad you did. See Farmer Charlies vid's and pics.

ps; woodies are kinda skittish about human presence.

Bossone a fish feeder will definitely bring ducks in, and they remember what time it goes off.
Another thing I've noticed they like is feeding around the natural and man made islands I have, lots of bugs and plant material.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.ph...true#Post250330

They are certainly working the edges of the pond. Here are a couple of pictures, one of the mallards and then a very dark one of all four together this morning. That was a tough shot to get with the lighting the way it was. The camera had trouble getting focused.





Here again is my layout, so I'm open for input as to where you might put a couple of wood duck boxes. Maybe this is a dumb question, but will the mallards use them as well?

I doubt that there is a bad place for you to place a wood duck nesting box in that landscape. Only thought might be orientation to prevailing wind...? Hopefully Bob Mallory will catch this thread and check in.
Mallards won't nest in them (to the best of my book knowledge, which is somewhat limited). Mallard factories (nesting tubes) would be the better play for that.

My wood duck houses have only been used by screech owls. But I saw a momma wood duck with one baby last year on a single day. I am guessing it nested in a tree hole but decided not to stay. Maybe it only had one duckling because of preditors. We have a lot of mink.

If you put a sheet metal guard on the box, you shouldn't have a problem with predators. Plenty of plans for those on the net. Good luck. I've also seen them for sale.

I think the perditors got them once they hit the ground.

Gotcha. Time to call in an airstrike.

Seriously tho, only 50% of all birds make it through the first year.

My neighbor trapped out a few nice mink this winter along with raccoons. We need some wolves!

Update: the wood ducks have not returned at this point but the mallards continue to visit. What I find interesting is there are times they both (mallards) visit and other times just the male shows up by himself.

I'm just learning all this, but is that normal to have the one and not the other?

The female mallard might be nesting and will only leave the nest occasionally to feed, the male usually leaves when the female starts nesting and will start to molt.
I've noticed both woodies and mallards feeding together under my fish feeder and they seem to get along at that time.

Adirondack is probably correct, the Hen is on her nest. My Mallards have been acting very peculiar this spring, a lot of wandering around the neighborhoods, acting very hungry. I've now found 3 abandoned nests.

I had 15 WOOD ducks tumble out of one of my boxes yesterday. I was seeding the back of my dam for the big rains that never came. Just happened to look up.

Bossone,

I just put up wood duck houses this spring. Our Ducks Unlimited chapter got them from Integrys Energy Group. You might be able to get them through Peoples' gas in Illinois who is a subsidiary of Integrys.

Integrys has them built by local prison inmates and distributes them in Wisconsin for $10/ea. Our DU chapter usually gets 20-30 of them and sells them at our spring banquet. I just got some additional requested ones from Integrys so they have some left.

Wood ducks are nothing short of beautiful!!!

Thanks, I'll check into it.

I'm curious as when us the best time to put them up?