Ducklings Jump from Nest 50 Feet in the Air
22 Video Views·Oct 3, 2022
It's raining ducks...merganser ducklings to be exact.
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Hooded merganser ducklings brave a 50-foot drop from their nest high in a tree to the forest floor below. They are following the calls of their mother who is waiting to reunite with them at a lake nearby.
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Once hatching is underway, the nest is a busy place and noisy.
All that vocalizing promotes a family bond as the ducklings get used to the
sound of their mother's voice. She won't stay in the nest for long though.
Within hours of the last egg hatching, the ducklings are home alone.
Their mother's not far away and her calls are the only thing that could entice them to abandon
their cozy nest. Barely a day old, they can't fly up to the entrance, so instead they climb.
They're equipped with strong claws just for this purpose.
When they reach the opening, their first view of the outside world must come as quite a shock.
It's a five-story drop, but somewhere down below their mom is urging them to leave the only home
they know, so they can live the life they were born for. And that persuades them to do something
that seems a little crazy. Some ducklings aren't as bold as others and he who hesitates gets a push.
Finally, driven by instinct and joined to one another by an inseparable bond,
they all take the plunge. She begins her nest with a platform of soft fluffy fibers
plucked from nearby plants. She's chosen a small tree.