Escaping Thanksgiving (The New Domestic Ducks in Central Park)

 (Photos: 1 and 2  "Casper" -- Pekin duck, clearly disadvantaged. Will his debeaking hamper Casper's abilities to survive in an urban park setting? 3-- "Cochise" -- Swedish Black Duck?  Wing feathers stick up in unnatural fashion, suggesting some former wing trauma.)

The mystery deepens with respect to the five new domestic ducks who have mysteriously appeared at Harlem Mere over the past couple of weeks.

For sure, they did not fly in on their own.  It's highly unlikely they can fly at all except for a couple of feet off the ground.

But, what kind of ducks are they and where did they come from?

Over the past couple of days, I have been scouting the Internet, looking up information on domestic ducks.

domestic white ducks - Google Search

It is purely conjecture, but I am guessing Casper to be a "Pekin" duck, commonly used for "meat" or kept as pets. 

The other four ducks are harder to identify.  Perhaps the two girls are "Buff" ducks and the males, "Swedish Black Ducks,"  but it is impossible to know for sure.

Of the five ducks, Casper is the most comfortable around and acclimated to humans (as defined in the "very social," Pekin ducks). -- Too much so, in my view.

Part of me in fact, wonders if Casper might have been kept as a pet due to his trust and ease with humans?

On the other hand, Casper's generally poor and dirty condition when first spotted raises significant doubt on that.

Another interesting thing to note about Casper is that the top of his beak appears to have been severed off.

He has almost assuredly been debeaked.

Debeaking is a common (and cruel) practice on chickens and turkeys, (to prevent "cannibalization" when raised in crowded conditions) but it is also apparently performed on some domestic ducks, as well.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debeaking

One has to seriously wonder of the impacts of debeaking on domestic waterfowl dropped off to a city park?

The shortened top beak undoubtedly hampers a bird's abilities to pull at grass, seeds, plants in the water and catch insects.

Although this is obviously not the first time seeing domestic ducks abandoned in Central Park, it is the first time observing one that is debeaked.

I have many doubts about Casper's abilities to survive in Central Park over the long haul.

Not because of a tough winter about to arrive or inability to find a flock (Casper has already acclimated and been accepted into the flock of four new domestic ducks), but because of the limitations of a deformed beak and his seeming reliance on humans.

Moreover, Casper's legs are somewhat bowed and pigeon toed resulting in him not being able to swim and walk as fast as the other ducks (both domestic and wild) at the Mere.  

This could represent life threatening limitation when forced to quickly escape free-running dogs that are common to the park during off-leash hours.

Although Casper is not obviously ill or injured at the moment, I believe it vital to seek a rescue placement for him.   He needs to be in a safe and protected environment. Preferably, a small farm or suburban setting with access to a barn and pond.

As for the other domestics at Harlem Mere, one has to simply hope that they quickly figure out modes of survival and that the upcoming winter is not too brutal and unrelenting.

One of the Swedish Black Ducks seems to have screwed up wing feathers that stick up like grotesque decorations on a hat.

I named him, "Cochise." 

One thing that is almost certain is that all five ducks are escapees from a live poultry market.

Something to think about -- especially less than a week from so-called, "Turkey Day."

Thanksgiving not exactly a day of gratitude for the millions of birds who are exploited and die for it. -- PCA

                                                        


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