Mallards are notorious for their unorthodox sexual practices, which include same sex mating and necrophilia (of Ignobel Prize fame, see reference below). This morning, in the apparent absence of a female, four drakes mallards took it on an unfortunate one. I have previously watched apparently consensual male-male copulation in mallard, preceded by courtship, but in this case they behaved exactly like when a gang of males carry out a forced copulation on a female. The series is not very clear, but these are the best I got.
...and the harassed drake eventually flew off!
I do wonder if the many non reproductive pairs and trios that are now found away from water around the verges of the avenues and even on campus, where there is no pond, are actually seeking some peace and quiet from all this pond sexual excitement.
More information
Moeliker, C. W. The first case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard
Anas platyrhynchos (Aves: Anatidae). Deinsea 8 (2001): 243-247.
here.
We have a threesome patrolling out local supermarket car-park there are two males and a female, they just wander about all day long.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same in our street, most curious as these females don't seem interested in breeding.
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