Duck Family 0627F: Territory Disputes, Missing Ducklings, and Urban River Survival in Eastern Spot-billed Ducks

 On June 27, 2025, I recorded another long-form field observation of Eastern Spot-billed Duck families along an urban river. The recording code for this day is 0627F.

This video is part of my daily observational archive. I film wild duck families, birds, and other urban wildlife with super-telephoto compact cameras such as the Nikon P1100 and P950. The footage is kept almost unedited as a personal field record, and also as dated visual evidence that cannot easily be changed later. Because I continue recording day after day, the observations are not isolated scenes, but part of a longer chain of circumstantial evidence across multiple dates.

I am not a professional ornithologist. These notes are written from the perspective of an amateur observer who has followed many duck families over time. Some interpretations are therefore hypotheses, not conclusions. Still, repeated daily filming can reveal patterns that are difficult to notice from a single visit.

Species observed in this record

- カルガモ / Eastern Spot-billed Duck / Anas zonorhyncha  

  The main species in this observation. Several mothers with ducklings were recorded, including families with very different duckling ages and survival outcomes.

- ツバメ / Barn Swallow / Hirundo rustica  

  A fledgling was seen watching the parent bird closely. This small moment showed the post-fledging dependence that can continue after young birds leave the nest.

- カワセミ / Common Kingfisher / Alcedo atthis  

  Two kingfishers appeared to be involved in a territorial dispute. One seemed to be an adult male, and the other may have been a younger male.

- カワウ / Great Cormorant / Phalacrocorax carbo  

  A nearby cormorant appeared to make one duck mother alert. Its presence changed the atmosphere around the family.

Main observation

At the beginning of the record, Af13-49 was seen from a distance. Even from far away, the sight of a mother duck still accompanied by 13 large ducklings was striking. At 49 days old, the young birds were already well grown, yet the full group was still together. The mother also showed visible feather wear or feather pulling, but the family remained intact.

Soon after, a Barn Swallow fledgling was recorded watching its parent bird. Although this was only a brief scene, it added another layer to the day’s record: young birds of different species were all passing through vulnerable stages at the same time.

The first major duck-family event involved Zf1-13. On the previous day, the mother had not been seen with the single duckling, so confirming that she had returned was an important piece of follow-up evidence. A conflict then occurred between the Zf mother and other ducks. Neither side immediately withdrew, and the interaction looked like a tense negotiation rather than a simple chase. The single duckling watched nearby. Eventually, the mother and duckling reunited.

A more troubling observation followed. The Uf family was found near the top of a steep riverbank, and only five ducklings appeared. The previous day, this family had nine ducklings, meaning that four were missing within a short period. The mother’s feathers also looked wet again, not only after rain but also on this day, suggesting that her water-repellent feather condition may have been reduced. This may be related to age or physical condition, but that remains only speculation.

One possible explanation is that the family had become divided by the difficulty of moving between the river, the wall, and nearby rice fields. Some ducklings may have been able to climb or follow the mother, while others may have been left behind. Urban river structures can create difficult choices for duck families. Making an exit route may help some families move, but it may also encourage more families to attempt risky movement, increasing the chance of separation. This is one of the difficult questions in urban wildlife observation: a human-made path does not always solve the problem cleanly.

The record also shows how crowded this river environment has become. Many duck families were present in overlapping areas, and territorial disputes occurred between mothers. However, not every interaction was hostile. A later scene showed Af mother and Lf mother staying near each other without serious conflict. This contrast was memorable: some families fought, while others seemed to tolerate close neighbors.

Several other families were confirmed during the survey. Hf2-37 was found by chance, and later Df4-41 was confirmed with all four ducklings safe. Cf3-46 was also seen resting in the shade. Lf4-28 had returned to the child-rearing area after being seen farther downstream the previous day. Bf abandoned duckling 1-46 was also recorded, though its identity was not immediately clear during filming.

A particularly valuable moment was the sighting of the Uf pair and Uf1-17. This was the first family-like record in about 15 days since the earlier scene at the relocation slope near the pond. The male with a yellowish bill has long seemed connected to this family, and this delayed reappearance became another small but meaningful piece of evidence.

Later in the day, several families were concentrated in one area: Xf5-17, Ef6-39, エf4-3, Ff6, and Pf2-26. The scene was difficult to film because so many families were present at once, but it also created a rare comparison of duckling growth stages. The difference in size between very young ducklings and older juveniles was clearly visible.

The final part of the record focused on アf3-9. The mother became alert, apparently because a Great Cormorant was nearby. Later, one duckling briefly moved away from the family, behaving boldly and independently before finally returning. Once back under the mother’s body, the duckling settled quickly. This small scene showed both the curiosity of young ducklings and their continuing need for warmth and security.

Discussion

The most important finding from this day was the sudden decrease in the Uf family from nine ducklings to five. Because this observation follows the previous day’s record, it becomes more than a single sad moment. It is part of a dated sequence showing how quickly duckling numbers can change in a crowded urban river system.

The causes cannot be confirmed from this video alone. Possible factors include predation, exhaustion, separation at walls or water channels, territorial pressure from other ducks, or difficulty moving between the river and surrounding land. The mother’s feather condition may also be relevant, but that point remains uncertain.

This record also shows that duck families do not all respond to crowded conditions in the same way. Some mothers engage in strong territorial conflict. Others share space with little visible tension. Some ducklings remain tightly grouped, while others wander, fall behind, or become separated.

For people searching for information about Eastern Spot-billed Ducks, duckling survival, urban river wildlife, territorial behavior in ducks, or rare observations of duck families with different-aged ducklings, this record may be useful as one piece of long-term field evidence.

It is not a controlled scientific study. It is a daily visual record made by one observer. However, by preserving each day’s footage, including unclear and imperfect scenes, the archive may help reveal the real complexity of wild duck parenting in urban environments.