Drake making funny whistling noise

[joepatr]

Hi all,

Last week I heard my drake making a strange noise, it almost sounds like a cross between a sneeze and a hiccup. He seems to do it intermittently for a couple of minutes for a few days, then he stops for a few days and now this week he's started again.

I know he's about to do it because he makes his neck really short and has his head almost touching his body. When it happens it seems to go in conjunction with him moving his head and neck as seen in my attached video. You might need to turn the volume up as the whistling sound is rather quiet, it's my white one in the background that does it, the other boy never makes this sound. Please forgive vertical video syndrome, was in a rush to record it! Link to video -> https://youtu.be/RbxcG_9vh_c

Does anyone know what this noise is and should I be concerned?

Thank you

https://youtu.be/RbxcG_9vh_c

 

[Honk]

Perfectly normal Joe. I don't think I've got any video of it I'm afraid but we've got 6 drakes and they do it all in unison, always on the pond and generally as soon as they've done the stretch and the whistle, they zoom around the pond with their necks out in front of them for ten seconds or so. We've only got drakes left as all our ducks were got at so it's not as though they've really got anyone to show off to apart from each other. I've never really sought out the reason for it.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Hi! Not sure what happened to my last reply but it’s the head up tail up whistle grunt mating display. I love it!
Zo

 

[joepatr]

Thanks for the replies. In the past few days my other boy has started making the noise and actions as well!

I must admit to feeling a bit guilty & keeping them away from girls!