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In This Issue...

	Jonah and Joseph
	Helping Orphaned Wild Ducklings and Goslings
	Get to know your predators: Foxes
	Waterfowl Nutrition
	Migratory Bird Treaty Act
	All about Khaki Campbells
	Recommended Reading: Bandy the Goose
	Reader Poll #6

Migratory Bird Treaty Act The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), originally passed in 1918, provides protection for migratory birds. Under the Act, it is unlawful to take, import, export, possess, buy, sell, purchase, or barter any migratory bird. Feathers or other parts, nests, eggs, and products made from migratory birds are also covered by the Act. Take is defined as pursuing, hunting, shooting, poisoning, wounding, killing, capturing, trapping, or collecting. Exceptions: Migratory bird hunting regulations, established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, allow the taking, during designated seasons, of ducks, geese, doves, rail, woodcock, and some other species. In addition, permits may be granted for various non-commercial activities involving migratory birds and some commercial activities involving captive-bred migratory birds. Penalties: Individuals or organizations may be fined up to $5,000 and $10,000 respectively, and may face up to six months imprisonment for misdemeanor violations of the Act. Felony violations may result in fines of up to $250,000 for individuals, $500,000 for organizations, and up to two years imprisonment. For a list of birds covered by this act and for additional information on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, click here. Note: It is illegal to keep wild ducks & geese without state and federal wildlife permits. If a wild duck, goose, duckling or gosling is in immediate danger, you may carefully and humanely remove it from peril. You must then arrange for the immediate transfer of the bird to a licensed wildlife rehabber. See the article on orphaned wild ducklings and goslings in this newsletter to help you locate a wildlife rehabber near you. All about Khaki Campbells The Khaki Campbell duck was introduced in Great Britain by Mrs. Campbell of Uley at the turn of this century. The origins are from the wild mallard, the fawn and white Runner, and the Rouen. She only produced a simple breed standard initially because the main purpose was to retain the egg laying properties. The best lines have been recorded to lay nearly 340 eggs a year. The Khaki Campbell is a busy hardy little duck -- always on the go looking for bugs, swimming, investigating their surroundings. Birds that have a fair amount of space can get quite fit and may even fly. The Campbell is alert and slightly upright in carriage with the head held high. The features and form of the head and neck is slender; neat and refined with medium proportions. The body should be full but compact. The wings are carried close and fairly high and the tail should be short and slightly elevated. The legs are medium length, set well apart and not too far back. The plumage is tight and sleek. The Khaki Campbell drake has a green bronze head, neck, rump and flashes; the rest of his plumage is an even warm shade of khaki with lighter shading on the lower part of the breast. His bill should be greenish blue as dark as possible; dark orange legs and brown eyes. The female's warm khaki plumage is penciled throughout, with the head and neck being less so and a slightly darker shade. She has a dark slate bill; brown eyes and the legs and webs should be as close to the color of the plumage as possible. The above information was obtained from: http://www.campbellducks.co.uk Recommended Reading Author Marcia Croce Martin contacted us about a wonderful inspiring book she wrote about an injured Canada Goose she named "Bandy." The book is entitled "Bandy: The True Tale of a Courageous Cape Cod Canada Goose." Described as "The Little Goose that Could," Bandy, a one-footed Canada Goose, beats the odds. A true and inspiring story of a unique relationship between a woman and a wildling. What readers had to say: "Bandy is a testament to the power of love, faith, and friendship and is a great read for animal lovers and children alike. This is a delightful, heartwarming story that will leave you pondering your own reactions to the trials and tribulations of life. Three honks for Bandy!" -- KAT ALBRECHT, author of "The Lost Pet Chronicles: Adventures of a K-9 Cop Turned Pet Detective." "Bandy's story is remarkable. The friendship that develops between an injured Canada goose and the generous woman who rescues him makes for a tale of mutual trust and courage. Marcia Martin has written a highly entertaining book that every animal enthusiast will love." -- BOB TARTE, author of "Enslaved By Ducks." "Bandy" can be ordered directly from the author through the Bandy the Goose website or through Amazon.com. Reader Poll #6 Question: If you determined that some wild ducklings or goslings you found were orphaned, what would you do? (Be honest!) Care for them myself.   Contact a wildlife rescue center or licensed rehabber.     Contact Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary for advice.     Leave them be and let nature take its course. Voting Has Closed. Please see next issue for results. Results of Reader Poll #5 Do you believe your birds are safe from predators?   Yes  50% No 33% Not sure  17%     Contact Us Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary 17 Barker Road Lebanon, CT 06249 director@majesticwaterfowl.org Our Newsletter The Majestic Monthly is published 12 times per year. Back issues can be obtained online from our Newsletter Archives.

Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but not for our Pekin drakes Joseph and Jonah. Their new mom drove all the way from Kentucky to adopt the two best friends.

Jonah has been in our care since last fall after his rescue from Spaulding Pond. Although several families inquired about him, he watched as each of his pond mates were placed into new homes. Jonah is quite large and a bit shy around people, but once accustomed, he loves a good feather rubbing.

Joseph joined us earlier this year after being dropped off on a pond before a snowstorm. He was severely underweight and someone had cut off his wing feathers. We were able to quickly turn his health around and get this once lame duck on his feet again and walking. Joseph has since become an extremely friendly lap duck who loves tons of attention and snuggles, and as for Joseph’s Dreamcoat, his plumage is gorgeous!

When we put the two boys together to see how they would do, they surprised us by becoming the best of friends. We’ve never seen two drakes get along better—especially during the mating season when drakes tend to squabble.

It was a great day at Majestic when the Huffmans decided to adopt both of the boys. They were each put into their own spacious pet carrier on Saturday for the first leg of their journey. The boys arrived safely home on Sunday whereupon they met Qwaka and Fiona, the Huffman’s Pekin hens.

Both drakes are doing wonderfully in their new homes and waddling down flirtation path with their new girls.

Helping Wild Ducklings and Goslings

We receive many inquiries regarding wild waterfowl in need of assistance. During the spring and summer months, many concerned people contact us about abandoned ducklings and goslings. If you encounter orphaned or injured waterfowl, please contact your nearest wildlife rescue center or licensed wildlife rehabber (links to directories of rehabbers are provided below).

At this time, Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary does not have any staff members who hold a state or federal wildlife permit, although acquiring both are in our future goals. This means we cannot rescue and rehabilitate wild waterfowl at this time. In the meantime, we rely on our friendly licensed wildlife rehabbers to handle issues with wild waterfowl.

If a wild duck, goose, duckling or gosling is in immediate danger, you may carefully and humanely capture it and arrange for its immediate transfer to a licensed wildlife rehabber. If the bird is not in immediate danger, but you are concerned about it, contact a wildlife rehabber for advice BEFORE intervening. Don't assume that ducklings or eggs have been abandoned just because you do not see their mother nearby. Avoid the temptation of disturbing a nest until after you've discussed the situation with a licensed rehabber.

I know how darling those little ducklings/goslings are, but you must keep their best interests in mind, and set your own desires aside. Wild ducklings need to be taught to forage for natural foods and they need to learn to exercise their wings and learn to fly. It is vital that wild ducklings do not imprint on humans (that means YOU!). If a wild duckling imprints on a human rather than a duck, they won't fair as well in the wild. They may not act appropriately around other ducks and become outcasts, or they may seek out humans once released, which could prove harmful. Remember, just because you mean well, doesn't mean the next person they encounter will. A licensed rehabber has the training to take care of wild ducklings and ensure that they can be released safely back into the environment.

Do not feed injured or abandoned wild waterfowl until you have received advice from a rehabber (if you can't find one right away, call a vet who is experienced with waterfowl care). Place the duck into a protective container (preferably a pet carrier if you have one on hand). Line it with an expendable dry towel free of any loose strings that might be ingested or cause tangles. Make a small water source available--nothing that can spill and make a big mess. You want your temporary guest to be warm and cozy, but not hot--remember an adult duck's feathers are excellent insulators. Ducklings should be kept warm and draft free. Avoid using newspapers for bedding; they can remove the oil from a duck's feathers. You can use hay or pine shavings, but avoid cedar shavings as they can irritate their skin.

Try not to disturb the duck. Let it rest quietly in a safe and closed off room until you can arrange for it to be delivered to a rehabber. Be extremely cautious that neither children or family pets have access to the duck.

Wildlife Rehabber Contacts

Locating A Wildlife Rehabber

Here is a helpful resource with diagrams that you can print up and have on hand in the case of an emergency. Click on this link: Wildlife Rescue Foundation

Then click on: “I found a baby bird, now what!”

As a preparative measure, begin to take notice of business cards of licensed wildlife rehabbers in your area. Often times they are available at your vet’s office, humane society or pet supply stores. Take their card, or copy their information, so that you will have their contact information on hand in the case of a wildlife emergency. Usually, the card will indicate the types of animals they are licensed to handle, but in an emergency don’t be afraid to call them regarding a type of animal that they do not handle. Rehabbers are famous for having a wonderful network of connections. They may be able to direct you to someone who can help in your particular situation.

Get to Know Your Predators: The Fox

Your best defense is a good offense!

A WORD ON RABIES…
Whenever dealing with wild animals, be it the animal itself, or the remains of its kill, ALWAYS wear protective clothing. DO NOT touch wild animals or prey animals (either living or dead) with your bare skin. Thoroughly clean or discard any clothing or items that have touched the wild animal or prey animal.

The fox, whether it's a gray or red, tends to strike fear into the hearts of chicken owners. The fox is prone to hunt 2 hours after sundown and 2 hours before sunup. Foxes take their prey some distances (miles even) from the sight of the kill. Usually the only sign of a fox raid is feathers and squalling hens.

Although most active at night, they are also seen by day. They are known for their raids on poultry, particularly during the spring when there is a need to provide food for growing litters. Red foxes do not chew their food, but tend to swallow whole. This accounts for the abundance of fur and crushed food bones found in fox droppings. They commonly kill more food that they eat at one time, and bury the extra food in caches.

Like many members of the wild dog family, they are quite intelligent and are very adaptable, often learning to live close to humans. Red and gray foxes weigh between 7 and 15 pounds. Foxes are primarily nocturnal, only occasionally coming out during the daylight hours. They have the reputation of being shy, but very cunning.

The best tactic for preventing predation of your waterfowl is a tight daytime enclosure that includes an underground barrier to keep a fox from digging in and a secure shed, house or barn to lock them up in for the night. Motion sensor lights around your waterfowl’s night housing may deter a fox. A guard dog can also prove extremely helpful in keeping them at bay.

Some of the information above was obtained from BackyardChickens.com.

Waterfowl Nutritional Requirements

The first question many first time waterfowl owners ask is, "What should I feed them?" Unfortunately, many make the mistake of feeding their ducks and geese chicken feed or worse, feeding medicated chick starter to goslings and ducklings. These feeds are fine for chickens, but waterfowl have unique nutritional needs that chicken feeds cannot supply. Furthermore, medicated chick starters can cause organ damage or even death if ingested in large enough quantities.

Ducklings and goslings need sufficient niacin in order to develop strong, healthy legs. Signs of niacin deficiency are weak legs and difficulty standing or walking. The condition is often reversible if caught early enough and involves switching to a niacin rich waterfowl feed along with niacin supplementation (brewer's yeast flakes are tasty and rich in niacin). If the dietary deficiency is not corrected, permanent leg damage may result.

The best feed on the market for waterfowl is Mazuri brand. You can order direct from them at www.mazuri.com. For additional information on waterfowl nutritional requirements and available feeds, please visit our website.