Chronicles

The Mallard by: Mike Lushington (Photo: Steve Methot)           The Mallard is probably the most widely spread and numerous wild duck in the world. Until recently, it used to be rare in New Brunswick, but circumstances, together with its own ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions, have contributed to its becoming more common all the time.         For many people, the Mallard is THE wild duck, the one that everyone recognizes. This is especially true of the male, with its brilliant green head and striking plumage. Interestingly, the familiar "quack" that everyone associates with ducks is a sound that is made be females; the males have only a rather high- pitched squeaking sound.         Part of the reason for the Mallard's success is that it can utilize a very wide range of nesting sites. Ordinarily the female will make her nest in marsh grasses, along the edges of flooded fields, beaver ponds, or small prairie sloughs. However, they have been known to nest near farm ponds, and even in large dead trees. Similarly, they have adapted to climate extremes from hot, dry prairie weather to the cold and wet of the arctic tundra. They feed on a wide variety of insects, on algae and on grasses and other forms of vegetation.         Mallards are the most conspicuous of a large family of ducks, which also includes the American black duck and the Northern pintail. This close relationship leads to occasional crossbreeding; the resulting offspring can cause considerable confusion for birders and other observers. This habit has also led to some concern for the long-term future of the Black duck. It seems that Mallard males are more aggressive than are Black duck males, with the result that they dominate the female Black ducks. Some ornithologists have feared that this could lead to the eventual demise of the Black duck as a species in much of its current rage.         Whatever the future may hold, Mallards are here to stay. Locally, we can see them at the Atholville Marsh, at Eel River Bar, and in other good habitats year round. They have made a striking addition to the fauna of the area over the past ten or fifteen years.

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