Crome, F. H. (1985). "An Experimental Investigation of Filter-Feeding on Zooplankton by Some Specialized Waterfowl". Australian Journal of Zoology. 33 (6): 849–862. doi: 10.1071/zo9850849. In case you decide to keep your drakes for meat, here are some tips to ensure they grow healthy and faster: Give them a feed with 20% protein REVOLUTIONARY FOLD-UP BIRD DECOY: At FUD, we set out to create a hunting decoy that was in a league of its own. Our bird decoys are fully collapsible with an easy construction process that will see your product ready to use in seconds without any hassle. If your drakes are territorial and have sustained injuries from their violent fights or suffer from constant stress, you may need to reduce the number of drakes. However, some drakes don’t get along with each other even if they don’t have females they can fight over. They may fight excessively.

The light will help the birds feel comfortable during the winter months when they will spend more time inside and also help provide the minimum number of light hours per day necessary to induce egg laying. Nesting Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Others need a quality purebred drake for breeding, while others want drakes as pond ornaments or a means to control garden pests. Floater decoys are meant for use on the water. That’s where they shine. Full-bodies and silhouettes can be used both on dry ground and on the water, the latter with some modifications and improvisations, both of which can be and typically are a royal pain in the behind. So think: Are you going to hunt over a foot or more of water? Or are you going to hunt dry fields, with an occasional foray onto six inches of temporary sheet water, where full-bodies and/or silhouettes can easily be used? Price Diane I am so very sorry to hear. Because of the broken eggs, I would say a predator has gotten to her nest. Was she outside or in an enclosure?

Yes Please!

The year was 1972, and a little California-based father/son company had just bounced onto the ’fowling radar with a single product – a no-tangle…Tanglefree!…decoy line and a lead anchor system that would, like Kleenex for any tissue and Xerox for any copy machine, serve as THE name for decoy cord, regardless of who made it, for decades to come. Today, Cory Foskett and the folks at Tanglefree still make that line, along with a lengthy list of other ’fowling products, including decoys. Just keep that ideal drake-to-hen ratio when adding more waterfowl, and you’re good to go. What happens if you have too many drakes? Rambo is also a firm believer in using an old-school jerk string to create motion in his spread. "Batteries can die, which is why you should always keep a jerk string in your bag. It never runs out of juice and it weighs only a few ounces, making it the perfect choice for hunts that require a long walk," he says. [5] Treat Them Right Both a Mediterranean Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull paid us a visit on the same day in July, with probably the same Yellow-leg at the end of August. There were just one to three Common Terns were around, and they had gone by mid August. So, you should intervene swiftly if a second drake swims over to disrupt a mating attempt between one drake and a hen.

Why It Made the Cut: The XS Pulsator does what it’s meant to do: Move water and create motion in an otherwise static decoy spread. Plus, I like the name. If it’s not possible, here’s another tip on how to deal with extra drakes. 6. Put them in a separate bachelor group

These fibers are often UV-resistant and waterproof, ensuring your decoys retain their realistic appearance even in harsh weather conditions. We recommend choosing materials that closely match the plumage of the target species to maximize the effectiveness of the decoys. We’ve so far had only small roosts of passage hirundines, maximum counts being 35 Swallows going to roost in the Scrape reedbeds, and 120 Sand Martins feeding above the lagoons with 45 Swifts. House Martins peaked at 40. Distribution: During the breeding season, they’re most common northwards from the Northumberland coast and off the west coast of Scotland. During the winter, their range expands to include areas along the east and south coasts, parts of the southwest coast and some areas of the Welsh coast.

It must be getting more wooded round here: both a Nuthatch and a Treecreeper were found on the same day. A pair of Ravens was also welcome.

[3] Strive for Realism

They are hardy birds that will easily adapt to most environments as long as they have a decent sized pond to splash in and a good sturdy warm house to sleep in at night.”