In light of recent discussions involving the waterfowl at Canyon Lake, I feel like I need to voice a concern about a part of the issue that has received very little attention. And that is the releasing of domestic ducks and geese at the lake.
Every year about this time we start receiving calls from concerned citizens regarding ducklings at the lake. Many of these calls involve domestic ducklings that have been released there. Sometimes it's the family dog that discovers a lone duckling and presents it to the caller. Sometimes it's about a duckling that has obviously been someone's pet and is following the caller all over the park. These ducklings are frequently purchased at farm supply stores. Sometimes they are meant to be Easter presents. Sometimes they are purchased with the full intent of raising them to a certain age and then releasing them at the lake so the family can go visit them there. And sometimes they are purchased on a whim with little or no thought given to how they will be cared for and what will be done with them when they are no longer cute and only 3 inches tall. People quickly learn that all they do is eat and poop and it doesn't take most folks long to grow tired of cleaning up after them. So, they are released at Canyon Lake where they just add to the ever-growing population of waterfowl.
It seems to me that you can't really discuss the whole feeding of the waterfowl issue without also discussing the release of domestic waterfowl at the lake. If people are going to be fined for feeding the ducks and geese then I think people need to also be fined for releasing ducks and geese. It's difficult to find homes for these guys which is another reason that I think people choose to let them go at Canyon Lake. Fortunately, the three domestic ducklings we have received from the lake so far this year have gone to a wonderful new home. The duckling shown above is one of those lucky ducks.
I do understand how tempting it is to purchase these little guys. Is there anything cuter than a baby chick or a duckling? Before you buy, think about it. Think about the fact that these guys require constant clean-up. They grow quickly. Do you have proper facilities to keep them in? Are you going to be able to care for them once they reach adulthood? And remember this. Just because they are ducks does not mean they will all get along. Ducks and geese can be very brutal and will often kill young ducklings that are not their own. They will often be very aggressive toward adult newcomers as well. So before you dispose of those ducklings at Canyon Lake, those ducklings that just don't seem to be as cute as they used to be, please give it some thought. Better yet, don't purchase them in the first place if you don't intend to keep them and care for them properly.
