Honors project: Ducks in the Courtyard
Each spring, mallard ducks visit the Delta College courtyard. They are a special attraction, a part of Delta lore and universally loved. But what do we know about the ducks? An ambitious honors student saw this annual event as an learning moment for us all.
Learn about the courtyard ducks
Types of ducks
During the spring and summer months, Mallard ducks are often observed nesting, eating, and taking care of their ducklings in the courtyard. Mallards are the most plentiful duck in the world as they are native to Europe, North America, and Asia. Domesticated during the neolithic era in Southeast Asia, they became the ancestors to almost all modern duck breeds. As Mallards became more prominent throughout various regions around the world, they became known for their eggs and meat throughout various regions. However, today Mallards are often spotted in ponds, lakes, and rivers even sometimes in urban areas.
Mallards displays sexual morphism, meaning males and females have different appearances. Called a drake, a male Mallard has a bright green head, brown body, and a curved black tail. A female, known as a hen, as a spotty brown colored body, which allows them to have camouflage for nesting.
Feeding ducks
Mallards are opportunistic birds, so they adapt to whichever food source is available in the region. They are omnivores which means they can eat both plants and small animals, and so they forage for a plethora of aquatic life in freshwater ecosystems. Some of the Mallards’ preferred diet consists of wild grasses, weeds, dragonflies, rice, and corn. Their flattened bill is a useful tool for managing various food; however, they rely on their gizzard and grit to properly swallow their food. Mallard ducks will rely on humans to give them food, but chicken tenders, fries and other crumbs from the Red Brix are not healthy for Mallards and can harm their digestion systems.
Growth of feathers and molting
Molting is a period when ducks replace their old feathers, and it’s a crucial component of a duck’s survival process. A duck’s feathers provide warmth, protection, and coloring in order to withstand the elements of the natural environment. Ducks need to shed their old, worn feathers and replace them with new, fresh ones. Ducks are unique in the aspect that they molt on a bi-yearly basis. The first molting period usually occurs in the late winter months, or early spring and the second period occurs in the summer months. In order to prepare for the winter months, ducks undergo a drastic molting period during the summer months, resulting in piles of feathers on the ground. Then they will grow back new feathers within a matter of weeks. During the span of the molting period, two to three weeks, ducks are unable to fly and may seem like they are in distress. But molting is essential for ducks, and humans should not attempt to interact with ducks during the molting period.
Ideal habitat
Typically, Mallards inhabit lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and wooded swamps. They prefer to reside in shallow waters where they can dip their heads under the water to reach aquatic plants and small, aquatic animals. Mallards have webbed feet, which makes them excellent divers and swimmers. On campus, Delta College’s courtyards are unideal habitats for the ducks as they do not contain the appropriate vegetation for nesting nor the appropriate food sources. These issues have caused the ducks to have a lower survival rate than they would in an ideal habitat. However, while our courtyard is not the ideal habitat, Delta College campus does have perfect Mallard habitat nearby.
Where is the ideal habitat?
The ducks have been known to inhabit all of the courtyards on Delta’s main campus; however, the courtyards don’t have the adequate food nor nesting resources that Mallard ducks require to survive. There are many areas that are deemed ideal habitats for the ducks around main campus such as the woods and natural habitat that surrounds Delta College. The grounds surrounding Delta’s main campus is managed and maintained by Delta’s facilities department; thus, it has been created to become the ideal habitat to not only Mallard ducks but also a plethora of woodland species including white-tailed deer, birds, squirrels. Although the courtyards are not the ideal habitat for Mallards there is not a way to prevent the ducks from inhabiting them, so it is imperative to mitigate our impact on them in order for them to have a higher chance of survival.
How can you help the ducks?
The best thing humans can do to help Delta’s ducks survive is leave them alone. Do not feed them, approach them, or touch them. Feeding ducks abnormal food, including chicken tenders from the Red Brix, can cause them to develop digestion issues and prevent ducklings from fully developing their bones and feathers. Leaving food for the ducks in the courtyard may attract predators such as opossums and raccoons, threatening the ducks’ survival. Any kind of human interaction can disrupt ducks’ nesting habitats, natural behaviors, and overall wellbeing. By fostering a sense of respect and understanding, we, as a college campus, can protect the ducks and ensure that they have a greater chance of surviving within the courtyard.
Honors student project by Emma Kato, 2025
Sources
Mallard Duckling Season FAQ - Wildlife Rescue Association of BC
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) | Wildlife Vagabond
The Conservation Challenges of Ducks in Urban Environments - Views HQ
