They jump into the world! – Baby wood ducks in June

With a little luck, in June you might spot a female wood duck and her ducklings in the wood duck marsh at Deschênes Forest. The female is easily recognizable by her white eye ring (her “makeup,” as some call it), and like all mother ducks, she keeps a close watch on her young.  The female builds her nest in a hole in a tree, at a height of up to 10 meters or more, to raise her brood—when the young are old enough, they leap to the ground from the top of the tree—incredible!—but they survive just fine.  The female may also build her nest in one of the boxes placed in trees in the marsh by ornithologists. The best time to observe them is early in the morning or at dusk, though it’s possible at any time of day—and the best spot is the small wooden bridge at Deschênes Park.