Greensboro Birds

All 13 Mallard ducklings made it to their second day of existence. Today, there are three males guarding the female and her brood. They swim together, herding the ducklings like little web-footed sheep to keep them together. The male ducks have also been keeping the male swan at bay; the female swan is still on her nest, as is the Canada goose. And if you look on the log in the background, you’ll see a turtle in the sun. It’s getting very crowded out there!

See the ducklings foraging? Baby ducks instinctively know how to fend for themselves, but they stay close to their mother because she watches for predators and shows them the best feeding areas. Ducklings eat pretty much anything, but freshwater invertebrates make up the majority of their diet.