We observed something strange when we were out walking last week. A mallard duck did a fly by behind us, wheeled around a tree, and landed on the front yard of a house in front of us.
He calmly watched us walked past him then nonchalantly proceeded to cross on foot across the street behind us.
Can any animal behaviorist please explain?
“always curious
why my cousin the chicken
wants to cross the road”
Longing For Water 
This is normal behavior for them around here. They’ll fly into areas where there’s nice grass to nibble, or a safe place to build a nest, and once they’ve found a place they like, they’re often found taking a stroll.
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As a matter of fact, I once had to stop on a local freeway while the police helped a mother herd her babies across the road. The babies couldn’t fly, of course, so they had to hoof it!
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We’ve had to stop our car for a family of Canada geese cross but they’re much more aggressive than mallards.
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This was our housing addition but there is a greenbelt nearby. I’ve just never seen a duck so comfortable and familiar with human presence that’s not at a park where they’re regularly fed.
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It might be that they mistake something for a pond, or that they simply fancy setting down for a while.
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