birding-aus

Mallards / Ruddy ducks

To: "'Birding Aus'" <>
Subject: Mallards / Ruddy ducks
From: "Brent Stephenson" <>
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 10:09:19 +1200

Hi Alan and others,

 

Just as an aside, thought the current problem of Ruddy ducks in the UK to be a little similar – RSPB are currently undertaking an eradication program of the estimated 900 breeding pairs and 6,000 wintering birds.  The birds are currently resident over a huge area - West Midlands, northern England, Anglesey, southern Scotland, and even parts of Ireland.  They are employing marksmen to do the job, and are planning to ban the keeping of this species in waterfowl collections in the UK.  This seems to be very forward thinking, especially when one considers the amount of opposition to this eradication!

 

Check out -

 

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/ruddyduck/?page=r

 

There are further links at the bottom of that page, one of which says –

 

“The introduction of mallards to New Zealand over 100 years ago resulted in a similar problem involving the native New Zealand grey duck. The proportion of non-hybrid grey ducks has now fallen below the level that is considered essential for the continued existence of this species, whilst the mallard population continues to increase. Globally, non-native species are considered the most important threat to biological diversity after habitat loss.”

 

Not sure this in entirely correct about grey duck being below the level that is considered essential for the continued existence of this species, but it certainly will be in the next few decades if more work like that currently underway around Christchurch is not implemented.

 

Mallards at least would be a little easier to get rid of than Ruddy ducks, to start with, as the can easily be hand fed bread…..

 

Cheers,

Brent

 

Brent Stephenson

Eco-Vista: Photography & Research + Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ

email

http://www.eco-vista.com and http://www.wrybill-tours.com

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [ On Behalf Of Alan Morris
Sent: Wednesday, 7 May 2003 8:13 p.m.
To:
Cc: Tim Morris
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Mallards - Potential Negative Interactions

 

Hi Birders,

I would like to take up Brent Stephenson's comments about Mallard invasions as I believe that maybe it is too late to halt the invasion!

 

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