The post These Fuzzy Ducklings Hitching a Ride on Mom’s Back is the Cutest Thing You’ll See All Day appeared first on A-Z Animals.
Wildlife videographer vanislewildlife captured this amazing footage of a common merganser duck floating along with her babies on her back. Shortly after merganser ducklings hatch, their mothers escort them to the best feeding spots. However, in the swiftly moving river, it’s much easier to hitch a ride on mom than to try to keep up. Like kids everywhere, these ducklings fight among themselves to see who gets the front seat on this journey.
(@vanislewildlife)The Common Merganser Duck
North America’s common mergansers (Mergus merganser) are short- to medium-distance migratory ducks. During the May-June breeding season, they prefer freshwater lakes and rivers in forested areas of Alaska and Canada. They winter in similar habitats in New England, the Midwest, the South, and the Pacific coast. Some populations live in northern and western states year-round. Common mergansers typically nest in large tree cavities up to 100 feet from the ground. These ducks are very social and flocks of up to 75 ducks are not uncommon.
Common mergansers are considered large ducks. They weigh between 2-5 pounds and reach lengths of approximately 21-28 inches, with the males being larger. The wingspans of both sexes are roughly 34 inches. The males have white bodies with black backs, dark green iridescent heads, and narrow red and black bills. Females have grey bodies with white chests. They have shaggy, cinnamon-colored crests and narrow red and black bills. These ducks’ bills have serrated edges like a saw, which is why they are also called “sawbills.” Their sharp, pointy bills help them grip prey when diving for food.
Merganser Mating and Parenting
Common mergansers are monogamous for the mating season. The females lay a clutch of 9-12 eggs every year in May or June. The eggs are usually laid in their tree cavity nests, but sometimes nests can be found on the ground under tree roots or in rocky crevices. After 28-35 days of incubation, the ducklings hatch. The males will often remain near the nest until the females lay the eggs, but they do not usually stay with the ducklings once they have hatched.
The ducklings are precocial, meaning they are highly developed when they hatch. They are ready to leave the nest within a day or two of hatching. The ducklings take a flying leap from the tree cavity nest and fall to the forest floor. As shown in the video, the mother may carry some of the ducklings on her back as the brood follows her to larger feeding sites. Some sites could be as far as five miles from the nest. Although the mother does protect the ducklings, they must forage on their own. They can feed on the surface as soon as they hatch, but they cannot dive for about a week.
Merganser Duck Daycare
The mothers usually abandon the ducklings between 30-50 days, although the ducklings cannot fly until around 60-85 days. Orphaned ducklings often join together in groups with older, experienced females and around 40 young. However, mixed broods of 76 or more ducklings have been spotted. This group is called a crèche, which refers to a nursery or a daycare.
In evolutionary terms, the practice of rearing abandoned young together ensures they have a better chance of surviving. The crèche generally stays together under the lead female’s protection until the ducklings can fly. When the lead female leaves the crèche, the young often remain in a group. Similar groups may join them until there are hundreds of birds ready to migrate together. Whether the mother above is carrying her own ducklings or her adopted ducklings, she will make sure they learn survival skills before she leaves the nest.
The post These Fuzzy Ducklings Hitching a Ride on Mom’s Back is the Cutest Thing You’ll See All Day appeared first on A-Z Animals.