Brood of ducklings plummet from tree in Manitoba
It was a short first flight for a brood of ducklings that plummeted from a tree, hitting the pavement with a resounding smack – but one wildlife expert says there was nothing 'fowl' about what happened.
Della Popko caught the strange phenomenon on video outside of her apartment in Portage la Prairie on Thursday.
She said she heard a mother duck quacking, and then all of a sudden ducklings started falling from the tree.
Though the audible thud of each duckling hitting the pavement is a bit shocking, each little feathered fowl is seen getting back up and waddling across the street.
One wildlife expert said this is actually quite common behaviour for wood ducks.
Barret Miller, naturalist and manager of group programs at FortWhyte Alive, said wood ducks do nest in hollow trees or box houses that people put outside.
“It looks like those little guys might be taking quite a beating, but you know what? They can actually fall 80 metres – not feet – metres, down to the ground,” he said. “They are very fluffy. They are very light, so they don’t actually really have a very fast or hard fall.
“A little bit of a bump when they land, they shake it off and they start following mom to the water.”
Watch the full video above.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.