Wildlife Feature | Ducklings

July 5, 2020 Brandon Slavinski

Let’s face it - baby animals are adorable! It’s true, google it.

As I’m constantly venturing out into the wilderness I always have my camera ready to capture every moment in front of me. This time, the focus is on baby ducks - AKA ducklings. The images were taken in three different areas of Southern California - The Ballona Wetlands, Playa Vista and Zuma Beach in Malibu. Anywhere near water seems like a great opportunity to pause and observe wildlife of all kinds. There’s always something unique to capture.

Generic Duckling Facts:

Ducklings begin swimming after just one day in their nest.
They’re are not born waterproof. They get some waterproof covering from an oil gland found in their mother’s tail. This also helps with maintaining their body temperature and ensures they avoid drowning.
Females lay from 5-12 eggs and sit on them for about 28 days before they hatch.
The more sunlight the mother is exposed to, the more eggs she will lay.
It takes anywhere from 50 to 70 days for ducklings to be able to fly.
They’ll continue to stay under their mother’s supervision until they are about 1.5 to 2 months old.
Ducklings can feed themselves when they reach the water and learn what is edible from their mother.
Like adult ducks, ducklings feed mainly on small insects, tadpoles, aquatic plants & grasses.