Jasmine Donahaye on the Mallard
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about birds inspired by their calls, songs and behaviour.
On a hot summer walk, author Jasmine Donahaye feels refreshed by the sound of mallards, as it announces the hidden presence of water. She's reminded that the familiar quack sound is the voice of the female, as they dabble on the water, corralling ducklings and sounding alarms. In summer the males molt their bright feathers and temporarily resemble the females, though their quieter, raspy quack gives them away.
Produced by Sophie Anton for 麻豆社 Audio in Bristol.
On radio
Broadcast
- Sun 30 Aug 2026 08:58麻豆社 Radio 4
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Tweet of the Day
Discover birds through their songs and calls. 265 programmes of 90 seconds, over a year
