24 
ANAS BOSCHAS 
and professional gunners, that ducks, and particularly Mallards and Black Ducks, 
have a highly developed sense of smell. All I can say is that I have always sought 
for evidence on this point and never found any. I have often stood in a shooting 
stand, both in the daytime and at night, and allowed tobacco smoke to blow over 
ducks only a few yards away among the decoys, without their paying the least at- 
tention to it. I have seen hundreds of flocks of Black Ducks and Mallards swim 
directly up wind toward a shooting stand, and never could see that they were any 
more difficult to decoy under these conditions. All ducks are suspicious if there is 
flat calm water under a bank, and approach it cautiously. It is usually maintained 
that ducks will not fly up wind very close to a concealed gunner, but this peculiarity 
is probably due to their being afraid to approach black water under a bank, and to 
the fact that they see very much better when flying straight toward the shooter than 
when going broadside to him. Helm (in Naumann, 1896-1905) says he found no 
evidence of sense of smell in his twenty-five years’ experience, although the elder 
Naumann was convinced of it. 
Hearing. Mallards are as easily frightened by a noise as any species of duck. 
Certainly they are more difficult to stalk than diving ducks, Teals or Widgeons, but 
they are not usually as acute in this respect as the Black Ducks. When tipping 
up for food the Mallard is unable to hear anything, and this can easily be proved 
by running down upon ducks that have their heads under water. 
Sight. Their powers of sight are in many respects very limited. During flight 
they do not notice even conspicuous objects unless these are in motion, but as soon 
as they have alighted, with upstretched neck and keen eye they take in all suspicious 
objects in a very few seconds, especially if there is the least movement. Ducks see 
very little at night, as any one must know who has sculled about in a ducking float 
on moonlight nights. In thick, misty or stormy weather all ducks lose much of their 
powers of vision, becoming tamer in every respect. An interesting faculty, which is 
well developed in the Mallard, but not so well as in the geese, is their ability to note 
very high-flying birds. Man sees little of what goes on directly above him, but if the 
shooter watches his Mallard decoy ducks he will often see them cock their heads 
slightly to one side, which always signifies the presence of a strange bird overhead, 
often so high that it is difficult to see. Millais (1902) thinks that the eyesight of all 
ducks and geese is far superior to that of man, but he doubts if Mallards have such 
extraordinary vision as do Widgeons or Brant Geese. It is quite evident that when 
looking straight up they can see objects which are invisible to man. 
Touch. This highly developed sense will be discussed in connection with the 
feeding habits. 
