Mallards trying to eat fish

24 March 2008, a walk to the Corversbos, along the old canal.

Sounds of nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker, chiffchaff, and robin.

At the beginning of the Corversbos, a great cormorant flying overhead. The same one we have seen catching fish in the canal?

Today, two dead fish on the water of the canal beyond the big bridge. Maybe young roach or young carp bream.

A female mallard tries to eat a fish. The circumstances for her to do so are favourable: the fish is dead, so is not resisting. And the fish is less than 10 centimeter.

However, even under those favourable circumstances, the vegetarian bill of the mallard proves to be unfit to eat the fish. Unlike cormorants or grebes. Or mergansers, which have hooks on their bills to prevent fish from slipping out.

After the female mallard gives up, a drake tries, and fails. Then, another duck tries, and fails.

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