Britain Declares Open Season on the Ruddy Duck

Reuters ^ | Monday, March 3, 2003

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government declared open season on the ruddy duck on Monday, saying it wanted to wipe out the sexually voracious fowl.

Originally from North America, the ruddy duck was introduced to Britain in the 1940s and began breeding like wildfire.

Now it has gained a foothold on mainland Europe, cross-breeding with the native white-headed duck and threatening it as a species, particularly in Spain.

A report for the government suggested the ruddy duck could be removed from Britain within a decade and that shooting was the most effective means, wildlife minister Elliot Morley said in a statement that made ugly reading for duck lovers.

"Eradication of the ruddy duck in the United Kingdom is the preferred outcome," Morley said. "Without action in the UK, the survival of the white-headed duck as a distinct species would be severely compromised."

But welfare group Animal Aid said the white-headed duck's problem was not the amorous attentions of its feathered cousin but gun-toting Spanish hunters.

"White-headed ducks have been brought to the point of extinction because they have been mercilessly hunted in Spain and their habitat destroyed," director Andrew Tyler said.

"Mating with the robust ruddy duck is the white-headed duck's means of survival. We should leave them to it and not compound our near-destruction of one species with the destruction of another."

[Frohickey]

The British government declared open season on the ruddy duck on Monday, saying it wanted to wipe out the sexually voracious fowl.

Any relation to Clintoon? :)

[coloradan]

And how is the hunting supposed to be accomplished? Guns, mostly banned. Knives, being banned. Air guns and bb guns? Being banned. Carrying "offensive weapons?" Banned.

[Willie Green]

I never heard of bow-hunting ducks, but I suppose it would work.
It'd be challenging anyway!

[TheMole]

I heard a British radio report on this story yesterday. It was like something from Monty Python, particularly the pronunciation of "ruddy duck" (rapidly, as if it were one word, with the accent on 'ruddy', and the first vowel almost the same as the sound in "rude").

[chuknospam]

I guess they will have to hire American duck hunters to come and help them out seeing how the Brits wouldn't know which end of a evil banned gun to point towards the duck.

[Rebelbase]

"I never heard of bow-hunting ducks, but I suppose it would work. It'd be challenging anyway!"

Those hunters in the blind across the river might be a problem though. What goes up.......


Wear a steel helmet and don't bend over.

[goose1]

They will use sling shots or throw rocks at them I Guess.Or sneak up on them and stomp them to death does PETA know about this??

[OperationFreedom]

good call

[Da_Shrimp]

And how is the hunting supposed to be accomplished? Guns, mostly banned. Knives, being banned. Air guns and bb guns? Being banned. Carrying "offensive weapons?" Banned.

Oh for heaven's sake, rifles are perfectly legal in the UK.

[Stentor]

It was like something from Monty Python,

If it's that annoying of a creature, shouldn't it be the ruddy ruddy duck.

[cake_crumb]

"But welfare group Animal Aid said the white-headed duck's problem was not the amorous attentions of its feathered cousin but gun-toting Spanish hunters."

As usual, the retarded armchair environmental experts only add to the problem. The ruddy ducks aren't any more ruddy bulletproof than the ruddy white-headed ducks. AND if they can interbreed, they must not be seperate species.

[CholeraJoe]

I've hunted ruddy ducks in the US. It's not very sporting. They don't decoy well and fly very slowly. Most of them I shot on the water.

[CholeraJoe]

Oh yeah and they taste fishy.

[strela]

And how is the hunting supposed to be accomplished?

Harsh language.

[Right Brigade]

They will use sling shots or throw rocks at them I Guess.Or sneak up on them and stomp them to death does PETA know about this??

---

Perhaps maybe a banana or dare I suggest a pointed stick?

---

[M_TEN_FORTYFIVE]

It was like something from Monty Python,

If it's that annoying of a creature, shouldn't it be the ruddy ruddy duck.

Or perhaps the bloody ruddy duck!

(Snickering to myself)

Ruddy ducky you're the one, you are always having so much fun - - -