10 Baby Wood Ducks (1st thought they were Mallards)

[ThreeOfSeven]

How are the babies doing now ?

OMG, they're big! I was away for the last 10 days. Just got back late yesterday. I will get some pics and video today.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Here are the babies. Took this pic a few moments ago. They're about 5 weeks old. They usually have a small kiddie pool here in this space, but it needed cleaning. They are thoroughly enjoying the muddy result. I'm going to let this area dry out a bit before I put it back into the enclosure. In the meantime, there's a smaller pool filled with clean water closer to where I'm standing.

If you look closely, you can see the head crest starting to develop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are so pretty I love their distinct faces.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

There's a teal color developing on their wings, and they're starting to look like juveniles. I'll try to get a better picture when the light changes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How much longer will you have them?

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

They'll leave as soon as they can fly, not long distances, but enough so they can get up into a tree where they'll be safe. I'm hoping, expecting that will be sometime mid-August. Going to ask DH to build a platform of sorts in the pen area. Hoping it will encourage them to fly up there, when they're ready.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You think they will be able to survive on their own?

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

You think they will be able to survive on their own?

They're instinctively shy and skiddish, and they haven't been handled since they were about 2 weeks old. If I can get them out when there's still enough summer or warm weather left, they may figure things out. The preserve where I would like to release them doesn't allow dogs when hiking (vs. releasing them on a nearby pond or fresh water area). The sad part of it all is that the life expectancy of a wood duck in the wild is only 4 years. <sigh>

One recommendation is to go back to the site where you release the ducks and continue to put out food for them, to help them make the adjustment. I may try to do that, depending on the logistics and whether or not the preserve people will allow it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It would be nice if all you have done to get them to that point where they can survive on their own would be awesome sure hope it works.