Need advice on wild wood ducks!!

[4-H chicken mom]

I watched a wild wood duck go into a hole in one of our trees down by the creek. I am assuming she must have a nest in there. My concern is when the ducklings come out. I know they fall to the ground OK but this hole is at least a good 50 ft above the ground. Do they really survive that kind of fall? My daughter thinks we should put some straw around it. What do you think?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I watched a wild wood duck go into a hole in one of our trees down by the creek. I am assuming she must have a nest in there. My concern is when the ducklings come out. I know they fall to the ground OK but this hole is at least a good 50 ft above the ground. Do they really survive that kind of fall? My daughter thinks we should put some straw around it. What do you think?

They have been doing this alot longer than we know about, but if it makes your daughter feel better by all means put straw under the nest hole. And good luck on having some wood duck babies.

 

[Kevin565]

I think 50 ft is still fine for them. However adding some hay defiantly wouldn't hurt

 

[desertdarlene]

I've read that they can safely fall as far as 200 feet as long as it's not on concrete or extremely hard ground, so I think they'll probably be OK. But, putting some grass and straw nearby around the time they hatch probably won't hurt.