DucklingWatch: The missing link in mallard conservation?

- Features

June 14, 2025

Have you ever watched a brood of ducklings disappear one by one and wondered what happened? PhD student Hannah Coburn explains…

What is DucklingWatch?

Despite being the UK’s most common duck, we still know surprisingly little about how many mallard ducklings survive to adulthood. And that’s where you come in. DucklingWatch is a new citizen science project led by by me, Hannah Coburn. The project forms part of my PhD at the University of Essex.

I have a BSc in ecology from the University of Edinburgh and a range of ornithological experience. My PhD research, the focus of which is to gather UK-wide data on duckling survival and better understand what happens after eggs hatch, is partially funded by BASC.

If you’re already monitoring nest tubes and submitting observations to BASC, this is the perfect next step. We know ducks using BASC-supported nest tubes show high nest success, but what happens after those clutches hatch? We have very little data on how many ducklings survive those critical early weeks.

Why is it important?

The UK’s breeding population has declined by eight per cent in the past decade, with no clear cause. Research in other European countries experiencing similar trends suggests that low duckling survival is likely a key factor.

To ensure sustainable shooting, we need solid data across all stages of a species’ life cycle. This helps us understand which stages are limiting population growth. For mallards, information on early life, particularly duckling survival, is especially lacking.

Understanding this stage is essential for effective wildfowl management. As stewards of the UK’s foreshores and countryside, your observations can make a real difference and help ensure mallard populations remain strong for future generations.

Get involved

It’s quick and easy to take part. For each brood, just record:

Where and when you saw the brood
How many ducklings were present
How old the ducklings were (you can send us a photo and we’ll age them for you, or there is a handy guide on the DucklingWatch website)

Submit your sightings here or email them to the University of Essex.

Sightings of the same brood over several days are especially useful, but even one-off records help build the bigger picture.

Why your help matters

Without your eyes on the ground, this kind of research isn’t possible. Every brood you report helps fill a vital knowledge gap in what drives changes in the mallard population. By taking part in this project, you will be contributing directly to evidence-based conservation and sustainable wildfowl management.

Find out more about DucklingWatch here.