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A big thank you to everyone who took a stab at this month’s Mystery Photo. Congratulations goes to Alison, who correctly guessed the right number of ducklings! Bonus points go to Martha, Susan, Karen, Rich and Michael for identifying them as Mallards! Kudos to all of you who attempted to identify the species of duck. It was no easy task since so many female ducks look alike.

Believe it or not there are eleven little ducklings in this picture! We’ve circled them for you.

Here’s a photo of them all swimming with mama (for those of you who need more proof). Their coloration really helps them blend in around the rocks; it doesn’t do much for them when they are on the water though.

Mallards are found almost anywhere there is water in North America, from ponds in the back woods to ponds in the city park. We had ducks when I was a kid in Arizona and I remember one winter a male Mallard flew into our duck yard. We thought he was resting up and that he’d soon leave. He never left. I guess our small pond, mild winters, and ample food suited him. Plus, I think he had a thing for one of our females.

Mallards are dabbling ducks, meaning their rears are pointed into the air while they forage underwater for food. Speaking of food—they’ll eat almost anything insects, plants, small water critters, and seeds. As you now know, they can have a lot of ducklings; a hen can lay anywhere from 1 to 13 eggs!