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Easter Ducklings Cause Wildlife Woes

Mottled Duck

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The Fight to Save the Mottled Duck

Here's yet another Florida animal facing possible extinction. But instead of issues of habitat or food supply, Florida's Mottled Duck is threatened by breeding. The duck, which is found only in Florida, is crossbreeding with Mallards that have been shipped here and released into the wild. Diane Eggeman is a State Waterfowl Biologist...

A rather plain-looking brown duck called the Florida Mottled Duck is the subject of a protection effort aimed at preventing the species from inter-breeding with Mallard Ducks that've been released into the wild. State Waterfowl Biologist Diane Eggeman says the Mottled Duck is a rare bird indeed...

ID for native ducks

Scientists say Mallard Ducks that've been released into the wild in Florida are wreaking havoc with the state's native population of Mottled Ducks, by crossbreeding and diluting the Mottled Duck gene pool. State Wildfowl Biologist Diana Eggeman says it's easy to tell the good ducks from the bad ones...

Mallard Ducks are one of the nation's most prolific duck species, with a population of 10 million or more. And while they do migrate to and through Florida, they are not native here year 'round. That is, with the exception of Mallards that've been released here in recent history. Diane Eggeman is a state Waterfowl Biologist...

Fighting the Full-Time Mallards

It seems innocent enough: releasing a pet duck into the wild. But it's creating problems in Florida as human-reared Mallards are cross-breeding with native Mottled Ducks, threatening the native species with genetic extinction. State waterfowl biologist Diane Eggeman is trying to get the word out about the interloping Mallards...