Short abstract from the book: The mallard is a very common breeding bird all over Denmark,
breeding in ponds, lakes and costal waters. Furthermore,
about 500,000 mallards are released for hunting each year.
During autumn and winter Denmark is visited by many passage migrants.
The mallard is the most frequently ringed duck species
in Denmark. The first were ringed in 1910, and the largest
numbers between 1960 and 1975. Many mallards have been
ringed in the former duck decoys on Amager, Fanø, Nakskov
and Tølløse. Those ringed include both Danish birds and
migrants.
Most of the Danish mallards are residents: only 10 %
of ducks hatched in Denmark have been recovered abroad
during winter, and 57 % have been recovered less than 5 km
from the ringing site. Among birds ringed in Denmark during
the breeding season after fledging, 42 % have been recovered
from abroad during winter. From abroad most Danish mallards are reported from England, France, the Netherlands,
Germany and Scotland.
The recoveries show that the passage migrants come
from Sweden, Finland, the Baltic countries and northwest Russia. The first arrive in mid-August, and the majority in December. Some winter, while others migrate further
SW relatively quickly, for example to Germany, France and
southern England within two weeks. During winter mallards
ringed in Denmark outside the breeding season have mainly
been reported from Great Britain, France, Germany and the
Netherlands. Mallards ringed in Jutland are more frequent
in Great Britain than birds ringed in eastern Denmark. The
majority of the mallards recovered in southeastern Europe are
males ringed in eastern Denmark. Most mallards ringed in
Denmark during the winter remain close to the ringing site
through the winter, although some leave Denmark to winter further SW. More than 50 % of the mallards ringed in
Denmark during winter and recovered in a subsequent winter
were found less than 5 km from the ringing site. Most passage
migrants leave Denmark in March–April.
A large proportion of the recovered birds have been shot,
of these 70 % in Denmark. Sixty per cent of the mallards
ringed as ducklings and recovered dead were less than one
year old. The proportion of mallards reported in their first
year has decreased: 84 % in 1910–50, 77 % in the 1960s,
57 % in the 1970s, 43 % in 1980s, and 25 % between 1990
and 2002.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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