Hello to you all

[MikeSh]

Not quite the same but this shows that some ducks like a bit of variety in their diet. Haven't come across Mike's observation before but we've recorded insect eating birds snaffing fish fry. (Black headed weavers).

No, it was definitely one of the fish eaters with the narrower deeper bill.
I'm sure it's not that uncommon a behaviour in fact, but unlike Mallards these types aren't common near humans, so the chances of observing it, as opposed to seeing a Mallard do something odd, are not high. I felt extremely lucky to have been watching that bird at that moment.
(This was about 40 years ago and I suspect I might be the only one to see it today as the others would probably have their focus on their social media device )

As far as I can see, those pictures show juvenile mallard - so I question the idea that it is anything to do with egg laying.

They do look downy; could be males during plumage change which happens around the time the females are doing the breeding work. But Mallards have something of a reputation for aberrant behaviour at times - probably due to their close contact with humans

 

[Black Hole]

I don't see any way one mallard could eat even a small bird, it would have to be a gang of them just to tear it into manageable pieces. That implies a remarkable degree of deliberate collaboration.

I felt extremely lucky to have been watching that bird at that moment.

The closest I can get is seeing a herring gull snatch a duckling off the water, on the wing.

 

[MikeSh]

I doubt it, it wasn't black IIRC, probably grey. Also Cormorants are pretty big, and I think even the smaller Shag is larger than most ducks. I'll have to do a better trawl of the online bird identification pictures (I used to have a book of ducks but I think it got sold off in our big move).

Sat in the coffee shop going through the rspb pictures. The most likely one there is the female Red-breasted merganser (since i think the green head of the male would have stuck in my mind more). They have the serrated bill to deal with meat.

 

[MikeSh]

I don't see any way one mallard could eat even a small bird, it would have to be a gang of them just to tear it into manageable pieces. That implies a remarkable degree of deliberate collaboration.

The photo does show a 'gang' but I'd think that tearing it apart is more a case of greed - "I want a piece of that"

The closest I can get is seeing a herring gull snatch a duckling off the water, on the wing.

Oh yes. They are an airborne rat, though I suspect rats may have more morals

 

[Black Hole]

The photo does show a 'gang' but I'd think that tearing it apart is more a case of greed - "I want a piece of that"

So you say just one mallard (albeit a juvenile delinquent) would think "I'll have a go at eating that pigeon, even though it's obviously too big"? There was a programme on the radio about a week ago about Komodo dragons. They hunt by infection, and in a scientifically observed incident one bit a cow (or something) leaving nothing more than a limp, but weeks later the cow died of the putrid mix of bacteria and venom that had been introduced through the bite. All the local dragons had a share of the prize, and the researcher says he was continually distracted by one that had a leg but it wouldn't fit in its mouth, so kept running at a rock for days trying to force it in.

So, maybe.

 

[MikeSh]

So you say just one mallard (albeit a juvenile delinquent) would think "I'll have a go at eating that pigeon, even though it's obviously too big"?

Doesn't look too me like a pigeon in the photo and the article refers to a couple of birds that sound to me like smaller ones, and fledglings at that. So allied to the size of brain that'll fit in a duck's skull ... yes, I do think they'd take advantage of a potential meal that has got in trouble on their patch of water. It's not as if they have to expend much effort to go and have a look anyway, since the bird appears to already be floundering. It's really just scavenging.

 

[Black Hole]

I never meant you to think I thought it is a pigeon.