Can someone help me please?

[Zesti]

Hi, I live in Nova Scotia Canada, we have a large pond on our property and I've been feeding wild ducks for over 15 yrs. now. I believe the ducks are Mallard? Every yr. we watch the females raise their babies and are very impressed at how protective they are. This yr. I have two clutches of babies from 2 different female ducks and there is a big difference in the age of both clutches. The first clutch already has most of their adult feathers and there are 11 of them. The mother duck is amazing! Very protective, won't let any other duck near the babies, especially when they are feeding. Even the babies chase the other ducks away. The second clutch is 6 babies, they still have the yellow and brown fluffy feathers and are quite tiny. The mother is terrible. She does not protect her babies like the other females do. We've noticed the 6 young come up and feed while she remains in the pond. When she does come up with her young, she doesn't protect them like the other female. She doesn't chase any of the other ducks away and the little ones are being pushed away from the feed.
Yesterday I heard a baby peeping it was constant and almost frantic. It was loud enough to make me go and see what was wrong. As I walked up to the noisy area, this little duck came running towards me. The little baby was all alone, and as I bent down it continued towards me, and allowed me to pick it up. The poor thing was still peeping, but didn't try to get away from me. I walked around the property looking for the mother, I couldn't find her. I got my husband to come out and help. He took the baby from me, and we went to the pond. The little one continued peeping the whole time. Finally the mom appeared with her other 5 babies and swam towards us. My husband bent down, and placed the baby back in the pond, and it swam over to the others. We walked away and everything seemed ok. Today momma came for a feeding with her 6 babies and about 30-40 other adult mallards? I happened to look outside and see one of the babies in the mouth of another female duck. Not sure if it was the mother or not? No attempt was made by any female duck to fight this duck that had the baby in it's mouth. I yelled and the baby got away. Finally the mother duck started heading back to the pond with the 5 babies and the little one that was attacked joined up with her again. I have a feeling it was the mother duck that attacked the baby, and I sort of feel that it was the same baby that was left behind yesterday? Is this mother rejecting this one baby? Am I being paranoid? Does this sort of thing happen often? What should I do? Obviously I am not an experienced bird person, but can someone please help me. I really feel that this baby is being rejected, but I don't know for certain. It's hard to tell which duck is which around here, I have about 75-100 male and female ducks and remember, they are wild. Thank you for any information you can provide me, I do hope someone knows what might be happening.

 

[Amiga]

It is tough to see this kind of thing, and it is not that unusual. I feel we cannot know for sure - some domestic duck mothers sit broody for weeks, only to attack the ducklings, or fail to protect them from other adult ducks.

I don't know what your laws are there, if you can take the duckling in. Here in the U.S. the Migratory Bird Act (may not have the words right) greatly restricts permissions for even rescuing young birds, from what I understand.

So tough to be an animal lover and see this kind of thing.

 

[crazyfeathers]

My husband would say it's part of nature and not to intervene although I would. It is tough to watch I am sorry for the pain it must cause you. I know what would do but I'm a law breaker lol. Best of luck.