![]() RELATED: THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF DEALING WITH INJURED, ORPHANED WILDLIFE The female duck builds the nest from nearby vegetation, and once the eggs are laid she will sit on the nest to incubate them for about 30 days. They typically nest on dry ground near water, but look for a spot where they can be sheltered or hidden among the vegetation, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Mallard ducks choose their nesting locations carefully. Mallard ducks, along with all native North American birds, are also federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so it is illegal to relocate the nest without a permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Disruptions could cause the adults to come off the eggs while they are being incubated, especially if the duck leaves the nest repeatedly or for extended periods of time, said Dave Robson, the Forest Preserve's natural resources management supervisor. This can cause the duck not to be able to maintain the necessary incubation temperature, and then the eggs will not hatch. In addition, take care not to disturb the nest. A female mallard will not recognize her nest if it is moved, even just a short distance, the Toronto Wildlife Centre reports. If you find a duck nest, do not handle it or interfere with it in any way. But what looks like a bad spot to you may not be for the duck, and moving the nest or interfering with it in any way may cause harm to both the duck and the nest. With spring nesting season underway for waterfowl and other birds, stumbling upon a mallard duck nest in what appears to be a dangerous or vulnerable spot can be a common occurrence. ![]()
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