This Spring be sure to look out for adorable ducklings at your nearby lakes or bodies of water.
Mallard eggs are normally laid anytime between March and July as this is breeding season. Eggs are then incubated by their mothers. If you see a female duck (brown in colour) sitting tight, motionless on the ground in Spring or Summer, she may be incubating eggs, especially if she allows a closer approach than normal. You should give the mother space in this case. After 28 days they will hatch together over the period of a day. There should be many ducklings born in the spring and summer periods.
Ducklings stay and are protected by their watchful mothers until they are 1.5 to 2 months old- when they are able to fly. They like to nest where food supplies are plentiful but in terms of environment, nests can be found in ponds, on their grassy banks, and in areas of woodland or shrubs.
Mallard nests are most often on the ground and made of leaves and grass nearby. The mother will then use her down feathers to line the nest, especially around the eggs. This is the first step of incubation and leaves a bare 'brood patch' on the mother's belly. This patch allows more heat to be transferred to the eggs the mother is incubating at 37.5 degrees.
After the ducklings hatch, they remain for 10 hours at least as they are brooded and dry. Then, after the night, usually, in the early morning, they leave the nest for the first time, following their mother closely. This is known as the exodus. Ducklings can walk and swim approximately 24 hours after hatching.
Ducklings can hunt on their own, though until they are older sometimes have a hard time figuring out what is edible. When they are young they mostly eat animal matter. For instance, crustaceans or fish eggs. You may see them jumping and trying to snap up flying insects, like midges.
A behaviour associated with ducklings is often the adorable sight of a brood of ducklings following their mother. Ducklings imprint onto the first large, moving thing they see after they are born. This allows them they form a bond and follow their mother. One reason for this occurring is sometimes broods commute. Females do not always lead their young to the nearest pond as they are unsatisfied with it and may change ponds multiple times.
Fact: mallard ducklings, the species most commonly spotted in London ponds tend to kill unfamiliar chicks that they encounter. So mother ducks must also protect their young from other mallards.
