Will A Duck Return To A Disturbed Nest? They Won’t Until The Home Is safe!

Ducks are known for their unique way of raising their babies near the nest. People often wonder if the ducks will return if their nest is disturbed.

So, will a duck return to a disturbed nest? No, ducks don’t return to their disturbed nest until it feels safe. Also, it depends on how long the eggs have been alone and whether a person or a predator has caused trouble.

This article will help you understand what happens when a duck’s nest is disturbed. Also, if the duck will return and what happens to the eggs – I’ll emphasize it all in a nutshell.

About Disturbed Nest: Will A Duck Return To A Disturbed Nest?

For ducks, a disturbed nest is a place where the safety of their eggs is disrupted. So, usually, they don’t come back to their nest.

Both a human and a predator can cause this disruption. A duck nest is usually seen in dry ground close to a water body. These nests are usually taken care of by the female ducks. 

Sometimes, things can go wrong with the nests. Aside from humans and predators, storms or rain can also make a duck nest disturbed. All that happening together forced the mom duck to abandon their eggs. It makes us wonder whether or not they’ll come back.

Will a Duck Return to A Disturbed Nest?

The answer isn’t straightforward and dilemmatic. A duck raiser claims his Mallard has left the nest due to the fear of predator attack. It was a pet dog raised by the duck owner. The mom duck didn’t return even after 4 hours, so he sought help in the online community.

Let me share with you what exactly happened, according to the person. Have a look at the image below:

Duck raisers say the moms may come back to the nest if the condition changes. However, there’s no such study, and I haven’t seen them return to a disturbed home.

As per Forest Preserve District, Will County, if a wild Mallard feels her nest is unsafe, there’s a chance she’ll abandon the home.

However, the Scientific American Journal slightly disagrees with this. Frank B Gill (former president of the American Ornithologists’ Union) claims that wild ducks are pretty good moms. They do not usually abandon their home, no matter how disturbed the nest is!

All in all, the answer is contradictory. But I can say one thing: whether or not they’ll return depends on some specific circumstances. Backyard duck raisers claim different things that indicate they can return if they lay eggs and think, now it’s safe. So, it’s best to wait for her if you have a duck that leaves her nest.

Will the Eggs Still Hatch Or Get Disrupted Due to Disturbed Nest?

A few important things matter whether or not the eggs will hatch. Valuing the fate of the eggs is a big matter of concern. However, let’s have a look at all these below.

• Duck eggs are pretty tough and can handle short interruptions during the time it is supposed to hatch. But, in severe cases, like in extreme weather, the hatching will be disrupted.
• If the mom isn’t there, the eggs aren’t gonna hatch. Because moms play a vital role in keeping the eggs at a perfect temperature and humidity during incubation.
• Even if your bird returned, the eggs might still not be hatched. It depends on how long the eggs were out of taken care of. The timing is super important for duck eggs to survive.

Recommended Reading:

• Why Do Ducks Abandon Their Eggs
• Ducks Go Back To The Coop At Night

Bottom Line

In a nutshell, the answer is contradictory. They can return back to home even if it’s disturbed because of the eggs. Ducks are amazing moms and brave. Some research claims the ducks may feign a broken wing to keep predators away from their babies! However, wild ducks mostly abandon their nest if it is disturbed.

Wildlife Authorities in American counties often suggest not to move or interrupt any bird nest if seen. Even if the place is unsafe, it’s safe to call a local wildlife expert, and he will take all necessary steps for the betterment of the nest.

Sources And References:

• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-birds-abandon-young-at-human-touch/
• https://www.wildlifecenter.org/mallard-duck-nests