Duck eggs rescued from stadium site
FOUR wild ducklings have hatched after builders found eggs at the Perth Stadium construction site in Burswood.
Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre hospital manager Tasha Hennings said workers found the eggs on site and took them to the Lesmurdie centre, warmly wrapped, on August 31.
Ms Hennings said the eggs had to be removed from the construction site and simply moving them nearby was not an option as the mother duck, who ran away, would not have returned to them.
Two of the pacific black duck eggs hatched on September 4 and the other two ducklings cracked out of their shells on September 5.
After a couple of days of observation, a volunteer carer took them to her home in Camillo, where they will stay until ready to be released back into the wild in a few weeks.
“They will need about eight weeks in care in total,” Ms Hennings said.
“Ducks thankfully are one of the easiest ones; they already know how to eat, they already know how to drink.” Sue Rose, of Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, with one of the four ducklings. d459237
The centre has already had almost 60 ducklings come into care this spring, the first species in the baby bird season.
“In the next couple of months, we are just going to be full of baby birds,” Ms Hennings said, adding many would be honeyeaters, ravens and magpies.
She said if people found ducklings, they should ensure they were abandoned or injured before taking them to a wildlife rescue centre, and avoid cuddling them.
“Ducklings imprint very easily,” she said.
“If someone cuddles them, they will really bond with people, then they believe (that person is) mum and forget they are ducks.”
The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) reminded the public to be aware of duck families moving around and remain cautious on roads and cycle paths this month.
Wildlife officer Karen Smith said ducks and ducklings often crossed busy roads between nesting sites and wetlands.
Call Kanyana on 9291 3900 or the DPAW Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055 to report sick or injured wildlife.
