# Baby duckies survive treacherous highway crossing **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821 "2012-05-04T02:02:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/1 "2012-05-04T02:02:47Z")
[Amazing.](http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120502/toronto-duck-highway-crossing-120502/20120502/?hub=TorontoNewHome) I was rooting for them. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/2 "2012-05-04T03:15:17Z")
My heart was in my throat the whole time. It’s amazing they all made it cross. StG ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/3 "2012-05-04T16:55:48Z")
Notice how mama duck goes back and “collects” the ones who got literally blown away by the passing vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/4 "2012-05-04T17:03:57Z")
We have mallards that hang out on our pond every spring/summer. One particular hen will lay a clutch of eggs and hatch out 10 - 12 ducklings each year. But, she is a shitty mom. We watch her march her little brood around, taking them for hikes across our lawn to visit a bird-feeder, etc. Every few days we see her brood decrease in number, one at a time. Foxes, hawks, etc. Some years she ends up with one or two that survive, but most years she’ll lose them all. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/5 "2012-05-04T17:49:42Z")
The really amazing thing is that they make this trip TWICE A DAY. (no they don’t) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/6 "2012-05-04T19:14:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Some years she ends up with one or two that survive, but most years she’ll lose them all. Having just a few that survive to adulthood is probably close to normal; I would bet that most ducks that hatch are killed before they get a chance to reproduce at all. Were this not the case, the duck population would be skyrocketing. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/7 "2012-05-04T21:10:27Z")
When I was a baby duckie, I had to get up at midnight and lick the road road clean wit’ tongue! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/8 "2012-05-04T21:35:28Z")
Yeah, **kayaker** , you’re being too harsh on Mrs. MommyDuck. The one in the video, however, deserves a “Mom of the Year” coffee mug. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/9 "2012-05-04T22:16:02Z")
Amazing that they all made it, I hope they only have to make that trip once. I remember one time stopping for a duck crossing. 4 lanes of traffic, both ways all stopped and let a family cross. Faith in humanity restored. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/10 "2012-05-05T11:28:41Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Yeah, **kayaker** , you’re being too harsh on Mrs. MommyDuck. The one in the video, however, deserves a “Mom of the Year” coffee mug. Well, I didn’t really explain what a crap mom she is. I find ducklings wandering around our yard pretty often and have to scoop them up, track momma down, and return baby. And she’s not a Mrs. Any drake will do. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/11 "2012-05-05T17:15:10Z")
They are way better than that Chinese kid. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/12 "2012-05-07T01:30:50Z")
Video wouldn’t play for me. In fact, I couldn’t find any play buttons. Am I doing something wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/13 "2012-05-07T02:01:04Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Video wouldn’t play for me. In fact, I couldn’t find any play buttons. Am I doing something wrong? You have to put the quarters in first. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/14 "2012-05-07T03:07:35Z")
Glad to see that Mama Duck and her ducklings made it across safely! ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/15 "2012-05-07T17:06:24Z")
In a sad counterpoint to Mama Duck’s abilities, on the same highway this morning Two pedestrians (why they were walking on that highway is as yet unknown) were struck and are reported to have serious injuries. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-duckies-survive-treacherous-highway-crossing/620821/16 "2012-05-07T17:44:41Z")
The predators on the other side who subsequently ate up all of the ducklings are particularly grateful for such a spirited effort.