LONG VIDEO: Single mother with family

Video recorded by  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee
Translation Liis

Mallard      Sinikael-part          Anas platyrhynchos

The female is the single caretaker of her large family and must pass on all her wisdom of life to the next generation.

Already when the female is incubating the males gather in groups in order to head for a secure place to moult. In Saaremaa the shallow sea areas between the islets or near reed beds are suitable. The splendid mating plumage is exchanged for an eclipse plumage; soon they wear a brown plumage nearly the same as the females; only the colour of the beak allows the sexes to be distinguished.

The mallard chicks are gutsy. The female at once teaches them to feed on the aquatic plants, in the beach shallows shellfish are found: there will be no lack of food for their menu, herbivorous as well as animal food will do.

In the video the female calls the chicks to the shore to find fresh greens. Teaching some ten ducklings is not the easiest task but at the first alarm call of the adult the ducklings rush from the ground into the protective water – something that must be trained daily.

The mallards get on well with the herbivorous and cautious beavers nearby. In such a place one can even stay for the night.