Mallard duck as pet?

[Kda]

Got a question about keeping a wild mallard duck. This duck showed up in our yard about a year ago. We were confused as to why a mallard duck showed up and never flew away when we approached it. It only walked away or did little flaps to getaway. We put her with our other ducks at the time to see what was wrong with her. A couple of months later she was still with. She has never flown away. sometimes I let our ducks out. I thought she would migrate but no. She never ever left. Not even disappeared for a couple of days.

Now for the actual questions. Is this illegal, keeping a wild duck? Did I do the wrong thing of "keeping" her? Should I have called someone to remove her? I am in Idaho if that helps.

She is now going to be the mother of a few little chicks. No drake to have ducklings :/

 

[Pyxis]

It's possible someone actually dumped a domestic mallard in your yard, knowing that you already had ducks. If you check her feet, hatcheries and breeders will clip off the back toe on one foot to mark a mallard as domestic - you could check to see if she's missing that toe.

 

[Ratchnick]

I think its not legal to pen it up but if it could leave at any time i think you ok.

 

[Kda]

It's possible someone actually dumped a domestic mallard in your yard, knowing that you already had ducks. If you check her feet, hatcheries and breeders will clip off the back toe on one foot to mark a mallard as domestic - you could check to see if she's missing that toe.

Oh! Thank you for letting me know. Didn't now they did that. I will check.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

At this point, run with it and play dumb, as tame as she is it would be nearly impossible to prove.

 

[Callender Girl]

Reminds me of when I was a kid and a wild pigeon flew in one day and never left. We lived in the country and there weren't a lot of wild pigeons, this one seemed completely unafraid of us. Eventually, we let him live in an old rabbit hutch for his own safety. He could have flown out of its open door whenever he wanted, but he lived out his life as a yard pet.

I say yours is -- at least now -- a "domestic" mallard. I think there's something almost mystical when a wild thing chooses to live with you.

 

[fluterose]

She might be a domestic mallard or a mallard off breed like a rouen. If she is domestic, she most likely wouldn't be able to fly.

 

[Pyxis]

If she is domestic, she most likely wouldn't be able to fly.

Domestic mallards absolutely can fly Unless their wings are clipped regularly or they are pinioned at birth, they are fully capable of flight.

 

[fluterose]

Domestic mallards absolutely can fly Unless their wings are clipped regularly or they are pinioned at birth, they are fully capable of flight.

I was talking about domestic mallard off breeds like rouens who can't fly, sorry, I should have worded that better!

 

[neo71665]

Mallards are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. It is illegal for any person to take, possess, transport, sell, or purchase them or their parts, such as feathers, nests, or eggs, without a permit.