moorhens/mallards/herons

[topshaw]

I have a fairly large pond where a pair of moorhens live and nest twice last year . We also frequently have visits from pairs of mallards but they never stay to nest and it almost seems like the moorhens chase them off, would that be the case are moorhens so territorial with other ducks ? Finally we have recently been visited by several heron are they any threat to the moorhens when they nest ?

[Blackbrook Eye]

The short answer is, yes and maybe, it is greatly dependant on the size of the pond, what do you considder ''fairly large''

[aeshna5]

Herons are important predators of water bird young, so if they visit daily will almost defintely take the young if they get an oppurtunity.

[topshaw]

20 metres by 15 metres with a 2 metre square island in the middle

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by topshaw

20 metres by 15 metres with a 2 metre square island in the middle

Herons will come down to quite small ponds if they can find food- ask many suburban house owners with a small goldfish pond!

[dragonfly]

i would say they pose no threat at all morehens can be very agresive to any other bird in there erea

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by dragonfly

i would say they pose no threat at all morehens can be very agresive to any other bird in there erea

Possibly not a threat to the adults, but a very real threat to any young. I've seen Herons take half-grown Coot + on a trip I was leading some years back some of the group saw one take a Teal. Around London Herons are one of the major predators of young ducks, waders, Coot + Moorhen.

[JeffH]

I agree with aeshna5 - visiting Herons will be a serious threat to young Moorhens.

Jeff

[Ukwildlifeo]

The herons will be a threat but moorhens are probaly one of the best at keeping their heads down. Providing there is some cover on the bank and perhaps some reeds to hide in at least some should survive. After all the strongest survive predation in the wild where there are herons, crows, foxes.......

[topshaw]

ok many thanks it looks like the Heron is definately a danner to the moorhen chicks but will the moorhens be discouraging the mallards from nesting ?

[aeshna5]

Moorhens can be aggressive around their nest/young, but I wouldn't have thought they would deter Mallard as the 2 species share smallish ponds all around the country.

[liddy]

Just picked up this thread - Where i work we have a beautiful pond and have been watching the moorhens raising their chicks for a few years now (We have lost a couple of chicks to herons!)
Within the last week though, a pair of coots have arrived on the scene and seem to be unnerving the moorhens (they dont seem to go on the water as much as they did). The coot are also eating the goldfish which is quite unsettling (I never knew they did this!!)
I wondered if the moorhens would now leave? Or maybe the coots? It must feel like a top class hotel to the coots after (probably) living on the local canal.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by liddy

The coot are also eating the goldfish which is quite unsettling (I never knew they did this!!)

Me neither i always thought they ate Aquatic plants, grass, insects etc, never herd of that before

[liddy]

It surprised me - and they are not tiny goldfish either. Takes quite a while to polish one off and they seem to do it all the time!

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Herons will come down to quite small ponds if they can find food- ask many suburban house owners with a small goldfish pond!

A heron fairly regularly tries to take goldfish from my parents' small pond and their neighbours much larger one (I saw it this morning). But we are miles from any waterway or lake. How large an area do herons cover in search of food? (Apologies for straying slightly from the theme of this thread)