Mother ducks are smart mothers. They let their babies roam all over the pond, but they do it under watchful eyes. The mother duck who brings her ducklings to our pond lets those little ones explore, but she never lets them out of her sight. And if she spies a hawk in the air, she calls her babies back. Boy, do they swim fast! There are usually two who really set out alone to far reaches. Others stay close to mom. Some set out in a small group, but not too far away.
The ducklings remind me of kids. Why are siblings different? I think it's mother nature's way of ensuring survival of the DNA. Maybe the ones that stay close to mom will survive and prosper, or maybe it's the ones who take off and take risks. Maybe they'll wind up changing life for the ducks, just as our human risk takers change things for people.
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