Re: The things you find in your house

Posted by Gail Damskey on September 27, 2014, 1:55 pm, in reply to "Re: The things you find in your house"
23.122.224.254

The parents of these little chicks mate for life and are hopefully close by. Although able to eat on their own, they will remain vulnerable to predictors. As their guardian, they will now look to you for guidance and protection. I work up here in N. California with wildlife rehab which is both rewarding and time consuming with the little ones. If you can provide them with a small body of water that they can safely access, they'd be super happy. Female usually lays 12 to 16 whitish eggs, one per day. Incubation lasts about 12 to 16 days, shared by both parents. Precocial chicks are yellow with black spots. They leave the nest very soon after hatching, within two days, and they are able to feed themselves. But they remain with parents for up to two months. At this time, they can fly. However, they may remain in family groups for up to six months. This species produces only one brood per season, sometimes two if first is lost. DIET: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck feeds mainly on plant matter, aquatic plants, grass and grain. It also consumes insects and molluscs.

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