Ducks making strang noise

[Tom NJ]

Recently, when I go down to the stream to visit my ducks, they make a strange call. They will rear up on their tail end, so they are straight up, at the same time they will make a sharp chirp/quack while arching their neck and head down until their bill touches the water, at which time they make a noise that sounds much like a bullfrog. They do not do this every time I go to see them and they will only do it once or twice while I am visiting them.

Does anyone have any idea what this means?

 

[toadbriar]

Well, my drakes do it right after they hop off their girlfriends. Then they do their victory lap around the pond. Draw your own conclusions

 

[country_girl011]

Recently, when I go down to the stream to visit my ducks, they make a strange call. They will rear up on their tail end, so they are straight up, at the same time they will make a sharp chirp/quack while arching their neck and head down until their bill touches the water, at which time they make a noise that sounds much like a bullfrog. They do not do this every time I go to see them and they will only do it once or twice while I am visiting them.

Does anyone have any idea what this means?

its a mating call.
or a courtship noise

 

[Tom NJ]

Thanks for answering that for me.

 

[duckdad]

yep, I'd agree. Since the pond is the primary mating site, thats where a lot of the unusual behaviors are seen for the first time.

Mine do a mutual head bob up & down for a few minutes...some kind of courtship ritual...then they do their thing...

Being paired, or mates they are no where near as violent as a drake with an urge and no mate...he'll skip the rituals (dinner & a movie) and go straight to the mating which is not always so appreciated by the hens.
Unfortunately our drakes are well known in the animal kingdom as rapist. When a drake wants to mate, he just grabs whatever hen is handy and does his business. When they are paired, this is not the case. The drake will stay with his mate usually and you can witness the mating dance and chatter. Sometimes an outside influence can get them....excited enough to breed...get them in the mood. This is gonna sound real strange, but my 2 big ducks get "turned on" by the sound of my Ryobi drill...I can be on the patio working on something and using the drill, and look around and the ducks are dancing and mating. Happens everytime. Something about the sound or the high pitch of the drill that works to get them all worked up. They do the same with the angle grinder...

yes, I know I have strange birds.

Its not always, but many pairs stay together beyond the annual mating season and some go on to live together for life.

 

[Tom NJ]

I have three drakes and no hens. I don't ever see them do the up and down head bob. I only saw that when I had hens.

 

[duckdad]

I'm sure that's a mutual M/F thing where the male does it and IF the hen follows that's a sign that shes willing...but in the duck world if shes not willing to proceed the drake will jump her anyway...

If funny, my 2 big ducks get "amorous" when I run power tools out there on the patio. I can start running the angle grinder and look around and see the heads bouncing up and down faster and faster....I know whats next.

Power tools always did get me excited but not in that way...

 

[Duckadia]

Ours do this. It's more of a donkey noise. very sweet