'Make Way for (Jumping) Ducklings': Video

COOK COUNTY, IL -- The wood duck is the featured bird this month at Bird the Preserves, an initiative to acquaint city and suburban folk with the many wondrous birds that can be seen in the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

This video captures wood duck ducklings jumping from their elevated nest box. Wood ducks build their nests in tree cavities or human-made boxes placed high in trees.

Just when you think the ducklings have all jumped out, another appears at the door.

Video via the Forest Preserves of Cook County

Male and female wood ducks choose their mates as early as January and arrive to spring breeding grounds already paired up.

The females will occasionally lay their eggs in another female wood duck’s nest. All is well in the duck world, as the egg dumping victims will raise the impostor ducklings as their own.

After the ducklings hatch, the mother duck will call her babies to join her. Mother and ducklings will happily waddle off to the nearest water. Some ducklings will jump from as high as 50 feet and land on the ground without injury.

The Forest Preserves of Cook County has a whole year of events and field trips planned for viewing Birds of the Preserve throughout the county.

Check out the FPCC blog to learn about scheduled events coming up as well as the wood duck’s unique parenting style.

Source: Forest Preserves of Cook County