Wild duck hunting begins on 1 September and ends on 28 February of the following year.
The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos L.) is a bird from the duck family Anatidae. It grows to a length of up to 60 centimetres and weighs between 800 and 1,400 grams. The male is recognisable by its dark green head and neck with a white collar. Its body is brown with white-grey plumage, while the central tail feathers are black and curl backwards. Its bill is yellow with a pronounced thickening at the front.
The female is smaller than the male, with a body covered in a soft brown colour and dark brown markings that are particularly visible in the plumage. Her bill is orange with a brown patch down the centre and, like that of the male, has a thickened front section. Both sexes have flat orange legs with webbing between the toes.
The full wingspan of a wild duck is 80 to 100 centimetres. Although they usually live for between five and ten years, one specimen was recorded at the age of 26. The species is widely distributed and inhabits bodies of water across Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, including lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and artificial pools. It is more common in the continental part of Croatia.
In terms of reproduction, wild ducks become sexually mature at one year of age and nest once a year between March and May. The female usually lays five to fifteen eggs in hidden places along the bank or even on willow trunks. The nest is built from grass and leaves and lined with down. The eggs are greyish white and measure about 58 × 41 millimetres. Incubation lasts 27 to 28 days, during which the male keeps watch.
When the female leaves the eggs, she covers them with feathers plucked from her own body. After about four weeks, the ducklings hatch and the female cares for them alone. The very next day she leads them into the water for their first swim, after which they no longer return to the nest. Young ducklings stay very close to their mother or hide in tall reeds, returning to her characteristic quacking call. They become independent after 50 to 60 days.
Wild ducks feed on plants such as tender leaves, grasses, seeds and young shoots of marsh plants, but they also eat insects, worms, aquatic invertebrates and grain. People sometimes feed them pieces of bread.
Hunting dates and methods are provided for information only. Final dates, permits and conditions are confirmed in accordance with the regulations in force and the rules of the relevant hunting ground.
