The case of the missing bird: Where is Wright Park’s beloved domestic duck?
Was it a case of fowl play? Or did the beloved bird waddle away?
These are the questions that fans of a domestic duck that frequented Wright Park are asking after the bird disappeared earlier this month.
After moving to Hilltop in 2021, Michelle Ketron enjoyed going for walks around Wright Park with her daughter. There they would stop by the pond and observe the flock of ducks that called the historic park home.
Among the sea of dark green and sandy brown mallards, a larger white duck speckled with black spots stood out.
“We noticed he was very protective of the female [ducks] that hang out in the pond at the park,” Ketron said. “He’d kind of corral everyone towards the small island area on the smaller part of the pond.”
They affectionately nicknamed the duck “Big Boy,” and for the next five years would regularly stop by the park to check in on the flock.
During one of her walks in mid-June, Ketron noticed “Big Boy” was nowhere to be found. She’s returned multiple times since then, and still hasn’t seen a glimpse of the domestic duck.
“I know animals don’t live forever, but I don’t see him straying far from where he was obviously settled and comfortable,” Ketron said.
The bird is believed to be an Ancona duck, a domestic breed characterized by its spotted pattern, as discussed on the r/Tacoma Subreddit.
Parks Tacoma does not keep track of any animals that frequent the parks, Public Information Officer Stacia Glenn told The News Tribune.
“We know released domestic ducks have a higher chance of predation due to lack of survival instincts and conspicuous coloration,” Glenn said.
In layman’s terms, the duck’s distinguishing features make him an easy target for a hungry predator. Ancona ducks like “Big Boy” aren’t fliers either, according to The Livestock Conservancy.
Still, due to the duck’s “celebrity” status, a park guide will comb through eBird reports and lost pet pages in case the bird shows up, Glenn said.
And who knows, maybe someday soon “Big Boy” will return, quacking into the park like nothing happened.
