05/02/2026
The babies continue to arrive!
We just admitted our first orphaned duckling of the season. We have more than thirty species of waterfowl in Nova Scotia! We have a variety of dabbling ducks, diving ducks, sea ducks, and geese!
These birds a born a bit differently than you might expect. They are born precocial. Precocial means being ready to move and feed almost immediately after birth. They will follow their parents around for a while depending on them for protection, warmth and waterproofing, and social learning. Once they are fully feathered though, they are pretty independent.
If you find ducklings by themselves, please monitor them from a distance for a bit. The mother might have been temporarily frightened off, but she won't return if she feels there is still a threat nearby. If she doesn't return, you should call a rehabber, as it's possible the young are orphaned. A lone duckling with no mom in sight anywhere is also potentially orphaned and you should also call for help!
