NZ shocked as ducks filmed eating puteketeke chicks
· Perth Now
Recent video footage captured at Lake Wanaka has sent shockwaves through New Zealand's conservation community, revealing a previously undocumented predatory behavior by mallard ducks. The recordings show mallards actively hunting and killing newly hatched puteketeke, also known as the Australasian crested grebe. While mallards are typically known for a diet of aquatic plants and small invertebrates, the footage depicts them targeting the vulnerable chicks shortly after they emerge from their nests. This aggressive interaction represents a concerning new threat to a species that is already classified as "Nationally Vulnerable" and faces ongoing challenges from habitat loss and introduced mammalian predators.
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The discovery is particularly distressing given the puteketeke’s recent surge in global popularity following its landslide victory in the 2023 Bird of the Century competition. Conservationists, who have spent years installing specialized nesting platforms to bolster the grebe population, expressed disbelief at the mallards' behavior, noting that while interspecies competition for territory is common, such lethal predation is rarely observed. Experts suggest that this behavior may be driven by extreme territoriality or opportunistic feeding habits. Local wildlife advocates are now monitoring nesting sites more closely to determine the frequency of these