Officials in the Swiss town of Koeniz have an unlikely repeat offender on their hands – a “notorious” wild duck, which has now broken a 20mph speed limit twice. The mallard triggered the town’s speed camera when it swooped towards it at 32mph on April 13, setting off a flash and being captured in the act of flouting the 20mph limit of Oberwangen, on Wangentalstrasse. Incredibly, the town council believes that the wild duck was the same one caught travelling at an identical speed in the same spot on April 13, 2018.
The lawless mallard has been described by local officials as “a notorious speeder and repeat offender”. While the repetition of the exact same crime seven years apart might beggar belief, Swiss police have ruled any form of tampering with footage out of the question.
“According to the police inspectorate, it’s impossible that the image or the radar system were tampered with,” the council said. “The computers are calibrated and tested annually … and the photos are sealed.”
“Colleagues at the police inspectorate were astonished when they looked at a radar camera from April 13, 2025,” a spokesperson added. A duck had indeed been caught in the speed trap again. Seven years to the day later, at the exact same spot and at exactly the same speed.
“We hope you enjoy pondering curious coincidences, criminal activities of animals and the maximum flight speed of ducks.”
Although it may have been “in a hurry”, as officials suggested, the wild duck was taking a risk by speeding in Switzerland, where strict penalties are in force for those flouting specified limits.
Drivers exceeding a speed limit by over 12mph in a non-built-up area could be handed a fine of 240 Swiss Francs (£214), and more serious offences can result in a criminal conviction.
Mallards fly can fly at speeds of between 40 and 60mph, making them the one of the world’s fastest-flying ducks. According to RealTree, the speediest recorded flight was when a drake mallard reached 103mph while migrating north to its breeding ground last year.
