Posted on 07/26/2018 7:05:43 AM PDT by EdnaMode
A mama duck in Minnesota has captured hearts across the nation after a Bemidji photographer snapped an image of her leading an astonishing 76 ducklings across a lake.
Amateur wildlife photographer Brent Cizek noticed the exceptional common merganser, which he now calls Mama Merganser, late last month during a photo session on Lake Bemidji
Brent Cizek @brentcizekphoto I'm so proud of Mama Merganser. ❤️
While it’s not uncommon to see a troupe of 20 or so ducklings lining up behind a single hen, 76 of them is another story.
“It was mind blowing,” Cizek told The New York Times. “I didn’t know a duck could care for that many chicks.”
An earlier photo of the same bird was featured by the National Audubon Society, in a July 13 story that explained that ducks sometimes put their eggs in others’ nests and that separated duckling sometimes cling to ducks that look like their mothers.
Still, it’s not quite sure how Mama Merganser amassed such an impressive brood.
“Everybody keeps saying, ‘Mom of the Year,’” Cizek told the newspaper.
A typical common merganser usually has a small flock of about 10 ducklings. The species is found in all season near lakes in parts of northern Minnesota.
Just wait until he gets her attorney’s bill...
They are ‘anchor’ ducklings :)
Yes, precocial birds. The Great Grandma explanation makes sense. There’s an old video about Konrad Lorenz and his studies in imprinting; this may be it or part of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IysBMqaSAC8
Sometimes, a mom duck doesn’t want to nest-sit her eggs so she deposits them in the nest of a more mature duck. We’ve observed this several times in early spring...
My husband and I were discussing cow birds this morning; we were wondering how that kind of nest-parasitism develops as a trait. Cow birds will choose any of many kinds of species’ nests; and some females show a preference for a particular species.
Haha!
Tzippi has *MotheroftheYear* competition ping. :)
That's it. Blame it on the irresponsible single mom... ;)
Whoopi almost blew a mental gasket as she was heard ranting "now you see what I'm talking about how women are being oppressed and being burdened with the costs & penalty of bearing & raising kids. If I was nearby when they came on land I would not hesitate to stomp and kill all those ducklings when no one is looking, I mean just look at me! I am very proud of my 6 abortions too and I'm doing my part to save the earth! "
Amazingly adorable.
This & post #28 are my happy morning!
I’m no expert but I believe other birds will use a competitor’s nest for hatching their young.
There’s no way that female could protect all those ducklings from a motivated predator...
That’s it. Blame it on the irresponsible single mom... ;)
LMAO
Yes, there seem to be several that do under different conditions; but the Cowbird is the North American one I’m familiar with that does it always.
We had a side business of renting out or (for the right price) selling hens to people who wanted to raise chicks the old fashioned way. One of our Brahama hens (she was a keeper) acquired 22 chicks one summer. Only 9 were her own. The others came from failed mama hens. Just like people, some of them are just too lazy, too stupid or whatever to care for their own.
But cute, nevertheless.
Is it a duck? From the angle of the photo it kinda looks like a grebe or loon to me. Still, that’s a lot of little ones to watch over.
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