A family of Eastern Spot-billed Ducks showed a surprising range of behavior in one urban river observation: ducklings sliding down a weir, a mother reacting sharply to a pigeon, brief separations, reunions, and quiet moments of rest among other ducks.
This article is based on my filming record from 0707F, a daily wildlife observation video recorded mainly with a Nikon P1100 and P950. The footage is published almost as-is, with minimal editing, both for my own future review and as time-stamped evidence that the record existed on the filming date.
I am not a professional ornithologist. These notes are written from the perspective of a long-term amateur observer who records wild duck families almost every day. Because I continue filming across many dates, some interpretations are based not only on this single scene but also on repeated observations and cross-date circumstantial evidence.
In this observation, the main focus was the family coded エf6-13: a mother Eastern Spot-billed Duck with six ducklings, approximately 13 days old. The family spent time above a weir, moved down through the current, rested in unusual proximity to other ducks, and later reunited after several small separations.
One of the most interesting moments occurred when the ducklings began using the sloped water flow of the weir more skillfully than before. A duckling that had already descended waited calmly below while the mother returned above. Later, the other ducklings followed, sliding down with increasing confidence. This kind of repeated movement suggests that even very young ducklings may learn practical routes through difficult urban river structures by experience.
Another notable event happened when a Oriental Turtle Dove suddenly flew in nearby. The mother duck reacted with clear caution, and one duckling appeared to lose its footing and drop unexpectedly. In my usual observations, this mother does not always react strongly to pigeons or doves, so her response on this day stood out. It may have been related to the timing, the distance, the sudden movement, or the vulnerable position of the ducklings near the edge.
The family also experienced several short separations. At one point, some ducklings drifted or moved away upstream, and the mother quickly noticed and flew toward them. In another moment, the mother seemed to go too far downstream, while the ducklings above reunited by themselves. Eventually, the mother returned and the six ducklings gathered again.
There was also a long and unusual resting scene. The ducklings slept while the mother remained separated from them, and three other ducks were resting closer to the ducklings than their own mother was. This was not a dramatic conflict, but it was unusual enough to record carefully. In many cases, unrelated ducks approaching a mother with young ducklings can cause visible tension or threat displays. Here, the situation seemed more ambiguous and calm than expected.
Earlier in the observation, feeding by people appeared to disturb the ducks’ behavior. Even after feeding stopped, the remaining food seemed to attract other ducks and create delayed tension. This is one reason I continue to record these scenes seriously: feeding may look harmless in the moment, but the resulting disturbance can continue afterward, especially around duck families with young chicks.
Several other duck families were also recorded on the same day, including Pf2-36, Df5, Xf5-27, Ff6-49, Gf7-53, Cf3-56, Lf4-38, Tf8-31, and イf4-35. Some were resting, some were moving, and some unexpectedly appeared from vegetation or shaded areas. These repeated discoveries show how difficult it can be to understand the full situation of an urban river from only a short visit.
The final part of the observation included more calm resting scenes, especially イf4-35 sleeping quietly. After many tense and complicated interactions, this quiet ending gave the record a peaceful close.
The identification codes used in this article, such as 0707F and エf6-13, are part of my long-term field record system. A detailed explanation of the date codes and duck family codes is available here:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-wild-duck-diaries.html
Species observed
- Japanese name: カルガモ
English name: Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Scientific name: Anas zonorhyncha
Note: The main species in this observation. The mother duck and her ducklings showed route learning, vigilance, resting behavior, and repeated family reunions in an urban river environment.
- Japanese name: キジバト
English name: Oriental Turtle Dove
Scientific name: Streptopelia orientalis
Note: A dove whose sudden arrival appeared to trigger the mother duck’s caution and coincided with a duckling’s unexpected fall.
- Japanese name: マルガモ
English name: Mallard × Eastern Spot-billed Duck hybrid
Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos × Anas zonorhyncha
Note: A hybrid duck observed separately during the record. Hybrid ducks are often recognizable by mixed traits between Mallards and Eastern Spot-billed Ducks.
- Japanese name: ハシブトガラス
English name: Large-billed Crow
Scientific name: Corvus macrorhynchos
Note: A crow family-like scene was observed, including what appeared to be a fledged juvenile. Crows are important urban birds and can influence the behavior of other wildlife.
This record may be useful for people searching for Eastern Spot-billed Duck ducklings, duck family behavior, urban river wildlife, duckling learning behavior, weir movement, bird parental care, and interactions between ducks and other urban birds.
Timestamp Notes (For Personal Use)
00:00 Highlights
Today, I started at the pond. I’m worried because the killing of ducklings among ducks has been increasing. I hope they can manage to relocate.
03:24 Sf9-30 resting! 30th day of life in the pond. Congratulations on surviving!
Today, I haven’t seen Ef6 or Pf2 around, so I decided to slowly walk around the upper stream area twice. But I didn’t find anything in the upper stream area… and nothing in the continuous weir section downstream either…
08:52 Ff6-48 – Lately, it has been resting a lot.
10:45 Ef6-12 – All safe. Active.
11:34 Ef6 climbing the slope. Ducklings coming down from the ramp!
12:54 Gf7-52 woke up! Heading upstream across from Ef.
Gf7 had been sleeping in its usual spot, so I filmed Ef first. It’s rare to see Gf7 wake up naturally after resting for so long.
Uf Father was again alone.
16:53 Af3-18 scattered while napping.
17:48 Manju 
19:09 Xf5-26 – Active!
Xf ducks alternate between napping and being active.
21:09 Xf5 goes to its popular resting spot – today it’s exclusive! (Yesterday, Df5 and Gf7 were there, creating chaos.)
23:29 Af3 wakes up and moves around.
24:27 Female Kingfisher – captured from various angles.
25:39 Little Egret – unsuccessful at hunting… did it give up and fly away?
26:41 I reunited with Ef6 for the first time in a while! It had come downstream a bit.
This area is full of bushes, so it’s hard to find. Though I couldn’t see the mother’s feathers, I could confirm that there were 6 ducklings, so it was definitely Ef6.
28:08 Near Ef6, Pf2 showed up! It’s been a while!!
29:47 Ef6-49 interacts with Pf2-35F 
Pf2 Mother’s feather pattern is very distinctive.
31:01 Pf Mother leaves, but the ducklings don’t follow!
31:33 Pf Mother comes back for a second try
33:24 Recorded Ef6-49 taking a nap.
34:29 Af3 comes down, and the ducklings spread out…
35:41 Af Mother calls for the scattered ducklings. Raising ducklings is hard!
36:50 Gf7 climbs the slope... wait, 6 ducklings!? It came late.
37:38 Xf5 was also there.
I thought it was Ef6, but the ducklings were missing, so I went looking for them.
Uf1 wasn’t found… but since I took my time, I managed to spot Ef6 and Pf2. Most of the families I was following showed up, but Df5, which I’ve been seeing a lot lately, wasn’t found. Could it have gone back downstream? Could there be a reunion with the abandoned ducklings? I looked downstream but didn’t find Df5.
38:30 Df Abandoned Ducklings 4-50 – Resting in the shade
39:03 Next to them, Lf4-37 – safe!
Lf4 has been moving up and down the stream, and it’s exciting to spot them. They might not be visible for much longer.
39:56 Another duck nearby, Mf1-38.
Wow! I thought it was rare to see a Mf Duckling follow its mother, but it was short-lived
41:15 Mf1 is chilling on top of the weir.
44:26 Df Abandoned Ducklings 4 is also chilling on top of the weir.
Df Abandoned Ducklings 4 hasn’t been to the lower area, and I was curious if they were going to go down… In the meantime, Mf1 went down
46:04 For some reason, Mf1 Duckling loves this hole.
46:52 Possibly Bf Abandoned Ducklings 1-55 – It’s getting harder to distinguish them.
Yesterday, Af13 and Yf3, along with Mf1, were in this area, but today, I couldn’t find them. Bf Abandoned Ducklings 1 didn’t come out of the bushes.
48:12 Mf1 and a Sparrow.
48:59 Cormorant 4 – In the shadow of the bridge… Pond Duck Family!
49:51 The season for watching White Wagtails bath.
50:29 The ducks resting were If4-34 and Cf3-55.
51:08 Cf3-55 – It has grown so much! (Along with Bf Abandoned Ducklings 1, they’re in sync.)
Based on my theory, abandoned ducklings (especially when there’s more than one like Df Abandoned Ducklings) grow slower even with food. It seems that Bf and Cf ducklings have a noticeable growth difference.
51:43 If4-32 – It’s becoming much more mature.
52:34 Tf8-30 – Congratulations on your 30th day! Taking a nap in the shade.
Duck Families Identification System
Since there are too many families, I identify the mother ducks by their wing markings (three flight feathers) and symbols.
Duck Families List:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/2025/07/0706f.html
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