I’m sure many of us have seen mating ducks before but until three days ago I’d only photographed Cinnamon Teals mating one other time. And not this well.
This past Saturday on a trip to the west desert I noticed a lone pair of Cinnamon Teals on a small pond. They were the only ducks on the pond and at first they were far away from each other so I wasn’t even sure they were a mated pair.
But after a few minutes, as if on some secret signal that only they understood, they started swimming directly and purposely toward each other. I wasn’t sure what might happen but I tried to keep at least one of them in my viewfinder just in case it was something interesting.
Like mating perhaps? After all, it’s that time of year.
With no preliminaries that I noticed, other than repeated head-pumping by the male, the female lowered her head onto the water in solicitation. The drake responded by climbing onto her back.
For the first 10 seconds or so of the mating they both had their backs to me so I’m not including any of those photos.
But eventually they were broadside to me and, typical of many ducks when they’re mating, the male had a firm grip on some of the feathers on the back of her head. He never let go of those feathers during the entire lengthy mating process.
At times it almost looked like he was…
trying to drown her.
Eventually, after the deed was done, he dismounted. Awkwardly.
But even after he was off of her back, he was reluctant to let go of her head feathers.
When she finally did escape she made a quick getaway.
For a few seconds she bathed, with all or most of her body underwater. In Cinnamon Teals it’s typical for both sexes to bathe after copulation but this time the male chose not to do so. He didn’t flap his wings either.
But the female did, repeatedly, as the nonchalant male watched. Wings forward…
wings back.
Three different and distinct times she flapped her wings. Here she was so enthusiastic about it she almost lifted completely out of the water.
It was exciting for all three of us while it lasted but when it was over it was literally and figuratively anticlimactic. So I drove on down the road to look for other birds.
Ron
Note: Image techs for this series were at or close to 1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc.
I would be flapping my wings too. In sheer relief that the experience was over and I had survived. And I am not surprised that he needs to keep hold of her head feathers.
Necessary, but not gentle, not pretty.
EC, for a duck he was gentler than most. But you have a point.
A very interesting post! I’ve heard of duck “rape”, but haven’t knowingly observed it. She has to go thru a near-drowning for each egg she produces, or does the sperm somehow get stored? The in-water mating doesn’t seem like it would be particularly effective – is it always done in water? Biology, so fascinating!
“is it always done in water?”
Carolyn, I’ve never seen any kind of duck mating out of water, although I don’t know that it never happens. No, she doesn’t have to mate a separate time for each individual fertilized egg she lays.
Thanks for the late morning belly laughter,
“It was exciting for all three of us while it lasted”
Made me laugh, you are turning into a old voyeur!
Great series.
“you are turning into an old voyeur.”
Turning into? Who’s to say I haven’t been one for years… 🙂
Great series ! Great biology and photography and you being in the right place at the right time. Thanks .
Much appreciated, John.
Tough life for those female ducks. I can still remember the first time I saw that behavior on a pond in Irvine CA years ago. Had no idea what they were doing – just thought the male was trying to drown the female. 🙂 Excellent series of photos.
Everett, from your description of the behavior I’m betting your ducks were Mallards. I could be wrong.
You’ve got that right and I have seen it here at our lakes many times
She can definitely do better than him! 😉 She’s a very pretty duck — glad those genes are going to continue.
Me too, Marty.
Great series!
Thanks, Brett.
I’ll BET she “flapped her wings enthusiastically”–probably thinking
“at last that dude is GONE– thought he was gonna drown me or snatch me bald, or both ! What I have to put up with to get clutch of eggs !”
Kris, I suspect she was relieved.
You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do…
Well, I have never seen ducks mate before. Never imagined it would happen while submerged.
Nice work.
“I have never seen ducks mate before.”
This is the time of year to watch for it. Thanks, Michael.
Interesting series, Ron. It does seem brutal at times. 😉 Beautiful little birds – even the female who, on the water, seem pretty drab. 🙂
Thanks, Judy. To me this seemed far less “brutal” than mating Mallards. When I’m watching Mallards mating it isn’t unusual for me to actually get angry at the males. Can’t help myself.
Always feel bad for the female Mallards at the local parksn they usually have multiple males trying to drown…errr…mate with them!
Jeff, researchers sometimes describe that behavior in Mallards as rape. Which it is.