Scuppernong River near Creswell, North Carolina 

Mother Duck

Last Friday afternoon, my friend Tom and I arrived at a small landing on the Scuppernong River near Creswell, North Carolina. We had stopped there last winter (see here) and made plans to return and explore the river in the inflatable boat.

The day did not look promising. It had rained earlier and was still spitting rain as we got the boat ready to launch. But the rain held off, and we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon, following the narrow stream through the woodlands and marshes.

The Wood Duck is also known as the Carolina Duck, and the Scuppernong provides an ideal habitat. Wood Ducks raise large families, incubating 7 to 15 or more eggs. The ducklings leave the nest almost immediately after hatching and take to the water.

A hen and a dozen or so ducklings were in the middle of the river, and as we approached the mother duck took flight, leading her brood to safety. The ducklings were too young to fly, but with furious flapping of their tiny wings and and paddling with their webbed feet, the ducklings skimmed across the surface of the water. Their escape was noisy and rather comical, but effective; very quickly they disappeared from view.

As we watched the small flock scurry down the river, a duckling popped out of the water with a plop, not six feet from the bow of the boat. Maybe he was underwater when the excitement started or maybe he elected to dive in response to the danger, but now he was all alone. I have no idea how the mother duck knew she was missing a baby, but I looked up to see her flying fast and low across the water like a fighter plane on a strafing run, directly toward the boat. Seeing his mama, the duckling paddled and flapped his way to safety. Mother duck dropped into the water a short distance from the boat, quacking weakly and flopping about with one wing, injured and easy prey to distract us from her ducklings. She thrashed her way almost to the bank, and then burst from the water and returned to her brood. Mother Wood Ducks lead a busy life.

The male Wood Duck is thought to be the most handsome of all species of ducks, but this mother duck was absolutely gorgeous in her competence and selfless strength. She was a pretty good little actress, too.

There are outstanding pictures of Wood Ducks at Delta Waterfowl.
Photo of the Wood Duck duckling by Kevin Cole - licensed through Creative Commons