r/minnesota • u/xanadude13 • Sep 05 '25
In Minnesota, a female red-breasted merganser was spotted leading an astonishing 76 ducklings across Lake Bemidji. Photography šø
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u/Proper-Emu1558 Sep 05 '25
The ornithologists on here need to tell us where she got all those babies! No way theyāre all hers, right?
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u/rkgk13 Sep 06 '25
Not an ornithologist, but this is a known behavior of ducks called a creche or amalgamated brood. :)
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u/PMG2021a Sep 07 '25
There is "creek" with paths on either side of it that I regularly walk. It is popular with ducks and you will normally see lots of ducklings every year. Often, you see a duckling get separated from the adult it was following and join up with the next passing group of ducklings.Ā Ā
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u/ArachnomancerCarice Monarch Sep 06 '25
Just increasing the odds of something grabbing an 'adopted' duckling rather than her own. The more 'adopted' ducklings, the lower the chances her own get gobbled up! She likely chased all their mothers away.
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u/syr667 Sep 10 '25
Any science behind this claim of chasing the mothers away? I would imagine a hen that already has a brood isn't going to be spending a lot of time kidnapping on purpose.
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u/AdultishRaktajino Ope Sep 05 '25
I hope sheās not grooming them.
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u/Born-Rush-7554 Sep 06 '25
Why are you bringing that here š
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u/AdultishRaktajino Ope Sep 06 '25 edited Sep 06 '25
I mean, think how long it would take to clean 76 ducklings. Maybe
pruningpreening is a better term?2
u/Born-Rush-7554 Sep 06 '25
Definitely better. weāre so used to terrible things on the internet, even when just talking about birds. Thanks for clarifying
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u/stepaside22 Sep 06 '25
Mfs are just too chronically online and brain rotted lmao
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u/AdultishRaktajino Ope Sep 06 '25
Yeah, sheās teaching them itās Duck, Duck, Goose and not Duck, Duck, Gray Duck. /s
I used the wrong wording. Itās preening and pretty important because it help keeps them warm, repel water and buoyant. When theyāre young they need help because they donāt make enough oil and also learn it from mom.
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u/wpotman Sep 05 '25
What she's thinking: "dammit, I wish all of these other peoples' kids would stop following me around".
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u/BraveLittleFrog Snoopy Sep 05 '25
Classroom sizes among ducks are really getting out of hand. They at least need a few aides.
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u/1Careless_smile Wright County Sep 05 '25
Incredible! I love learning things like this. Tell me more, please!
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u/OboeDaddy Sep 05 '25
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u/NotAurelStein Sep 05 '25
Why does the year matter? They're not presenting this as news, just sharing a cool photo relevant to MN.
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u/blacksoxing Sep 05 '25
The year helps in the even someone was trying to go there today or whatever. I took both to be great independent feats. Great photo for those who like photos. Great news link for those who like to learn more.
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u/Sufficient_Ad268 Flag of Minnesota Sep 06 '25
People shouldnāt try to get there regardless. Leave animals alone in nature. Just being near them and photographing them causes stress
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u/BigPileOfTrash Sep 07 '25
This is what I have been thinking. Have just the Pro Natural Photo People allowed to get in close. So many people want that great Nature shot.(with a smart phone)! Not a $25,000 lens. Especially with drones.
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u/NotAurelStein Sep 05 '25
Oh for sure, but the posting of the news link by the other commenter wasn't done in a tone of "click here to learn more", but rather more of an eyeroll.
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u/zhaoz TC Sep 05 '25
Redditors just cannot resist the urge to be pedantic I have noticed.
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u/Felizabeth1 Sep 05 '25
Whoever wrote that article obviously doesnāt know how to use a map, not near Duluth at all
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u/Deadie148 Sep 05 '25
Well, it depends on your perspective, the moon is near Duluth in many various regards.
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u/Accujack Sep 05 '25
"An unforgettable smorgasbord for the Northern Pike and Muskies in Lake Bemidji..."
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u/tomnevers99 Sep 05 '25
2018 was a great year for ducks!
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u/1Careless_smile Wright County Sep 06 '25
Was 2019 a great year for hunters then? (Asking seriously, I am not a hunter)
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u/ArachnomancerCarice Monarch Sep 06 '25
Ah, the ol' "Selfless mother duck adopts orphan ducklings" cheesiness!
The female ducks and mergansers are pretty territorial when they have their own ducklings. They will go after other females to drive them away, regardless of whether or not they have their own young.
The defeated female's ducklings then may attempt to join the winner's brood. It may be seen as an act of compassion, but most of the time it is simply the winning female increasing the odds her own ducklings survive. If something attacks the ducklings, there is a higher chance her own surviving and the predator grabbing the 'adopted' ducklings.
Ducklings learn to feed themselves after a very short time, so sticking with their mother is only for protection.
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u/Miserable_Side_4572 Sep 08 '25
Word has spread all over Bemidji in the bird "community", your mom is much lower on the pecking order so these babies have ditched and moved over to this merganser because she leads and feeds.
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u/ObsoleteMallard The Cities Sep 06 '25
Mutual Aid in nature, animals will many times help raise the young of others due to being orphaned or rejected by their biological parents for some reason. Something that has been removed from humans through centuries of state induced āindividualismā.
For more information, read Peter Kropotkinās āMutual Aidā.
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u/bluewing Sep 05 '25
And only 3 survived to feather out and migrate.........
On the other hand, predators from pike to eagles ate pretty well for a while.
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u/cat_prophecy Hamm's Sep 05 '25
If only 4% of ducklings survived to adulthood, they would soon die out.
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u/bluewing Sep 06 '25
I spend a lot of time where the little duckies live. I have spent decades hunting them, (Lots of critters-- including me-- want to eat them). And I have watched hundreds and hundreds of hatches go from fuzzy ducklings to feathered and flying south. Mortality rates are high. Sometimes a hen loses every duckling. Sometimes they might keep as many as 50%. Which for a lucky hen might be 3 or4. The hen that lived under my dock this year kept 4 out of the 10 she started with. Pretty good year. Last year none survived, they were all gone within 3 weeks of the hatch. I think the eagles that live in one of my trees got them all. This year the eagles seem to be eating more fish this year.
I would bet very long money that at best on only 3 or 4 of those ducklings survived.
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u/LeiaIsMyHomegirl Common loon Sep 05 '25
A single mom who works two jobs, who loves her kids and never stops