Ring-necked Duck Suitors?

Here's a trio of Ring-necked Ducks I saw last March. Though they don't typically breed here in NJ, my impression is that they start pairing up over the winter. But seeing 2 males (the black-and-white ducks) following 1 female (the earth-toned duck) makes me suspect that these 3 haven't entirely worked out their relationships yet. (I can't judge whether the female Ring-necked Duck is considered especially vivacious/attractive, garnering extra attention.)

Though ducks are considered monogamous within a breeding season, the next season they're likely to pair up differently, so every year the males need to audition for the privilege of being a dad.

March 17, 2023 at Duke Farms
Photo 267711174, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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