loss of feathers
Posted by Judy Mackles on August 4, 2006
Q: My daughter has wild mallard ducks that swim in her pond in South La. They are losing their feathers and she is concerned. Do you know what can be causing this?
Habitat: pond/lake
State: Louisiana
Habitat: pond/lake
A: Ducks molt in late summer each year. They lose their old feathers that are quite worn out by now and grow new ones. The ducks lose their flight feathers pretty much all at one time and are flightless for a while. At these times, these birds congregate in places that are especially safe so they can avoid predators until new flight feathers grow back and they can fly again. Not all birds lose all of their flight feathers at once but all birds do molt. Hope this helps.
John Wiessinger ( August 5, 2006)