Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/20/2009

Question
We have had a pair of Mallard ducks living on our household pond since March. There have also been 2 males which have been in residence periodically. Despite a great deal of mating activity and the female seeming to nest in the bushes there has been no sign of ducklings. It may well be there have been sterile eggs laid, however because of the situation with the undergrowth I have not been able to confirm this. Now to my main point, the female seems to have been abandoned and she is presenting a very lonely figure swimming in the pond and regularly preening and bathing also laying out in the sun. I have laid out feed regularly for the birds but now I am wondering if I should stop this in order to encourage her to leave. In the past (0ver 4 years) both the male and female have left by now. I am very happy for her to stay but she seems so sad alone. Is there anything I should do.

Answer
Almost always the best course of action is to let nature take its course. After mating the female mallard is always left alone while the male or males go elsewhere. She is not really "abandoned" - that's just the way ducks behave. If there are no ducklings, it may be that the eggs were sterile or a predator got them. In any case, there is probably no reason to feed them. Thanks for your concern.