WTF? It's a Duck! In my Fireplace -and it has an egg! (2 Viewers)

[jgb101]

Thought it was a bat a first -but a duck was in my chimney! Now it's nesting in my fireplace...

Last night there was some noise coming from fireplace that had the cat all excited. I open the glass door & moved the flue & there was a bubch of "fluttering" going on inside. Thinking it might be a bat I went to the roof & looked down. Couldn't get a good view as I was on my tip-toes on a stepladder on the roof in the dark & rain (cold n windy too). Looked to bog to be a bat & looked white -ish. def not bat color but maybe a hawk. Tried to get picture but it's like 25 feet down.
So today I looked ore & thought it was dead. Went to open flue & saw a feather -then it's wings started going -not dead.
I couldn't really open flue because I was afraid I would be crushing the bird -so I disconnected the lever & was able to lift the flue out of the way & remove it. Then I spotted the egg. The bird wasn't moving around much at this point but soon started. I had put a couple towels on top of the grate to catch it but it was freaking out so I closed the door & covered the glass. I was worried that it was exhausted & hungry so I put a pan if water & some bird seed inside & closed the door again. The egg (one egg) was kind of on a ledge & I was concerned it would fall -and the bird was trying to sit on it. Took a peak later & it had somehow moved the egg to the towel, tipped over the bitter container of water & was sitting on it's egg. That was like 3am. She looks OK now but I don't want to go moving the egg so I have a duck living in my fireplace.
I had plans to remove the grate & put a box, lined with paper & some leaves so I could cover it and move it to a safe place but I think it'd too late for that plan.
any suggestions?
***Please have a look at attachment and tell me if I am correct in identifying her as a wood duck.
ThX!

 

[PYRTLE]

You're correct in that it is a female Wood duck.

 

[pianoman]

Wow, that is something you don't see every day. Hope the weather has warmed up enough that you don't need to be lighting any fires...

Presumably the only way out for the duck, and the possible future duckling(s) is up the flue (once you keep the door closed). I wouldn't underestimate the ability of either to climb up, but you might have to check that they can get in/out alright.

 

[pianoman]

Or maybe not, see here:
https://academic.oup.com/auk/article-abstract/88/2/425/5196899?redirectedFrom=PDF

Interested to hear what happens next.

 

[Paul Longland]

I have seen some strange nesting behavior, including starlings in my kitchen hood extractor but that just about tops the lot. Hope it works out OK

 

[KenM]

Egg-citing times jgb101 all the best with that one. :t:

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

For a few years a female common merganser nested in the chimney of our local nature center, but that was blocked about 1-1.5m from the opening.

I know wood ducks are cavity nesters, but you wonder how the little ones will get out from that far down.

And BTW, welcome to the forum!

 

[jogresh]

Has the duck ever moved out of there? To drink, feed, bathe, etc? My guess is that it was investigating a nest site, fell down the chimney, and is now stuck. It probably needs releasing so it can find a better place to nest?..

 

[jgb101]

Duck in Chimney, continued

I was afraid to try relocating the female wood duck from my chimney and after a few phone calls I was on the phone with a DNR officer. I asked if he had any advice and he said he's come over and pick her up. Ten minutes later he was in my living room. He simply reached in the fireplace and grabbed her and put her in a box. She and her lone egg were immediately off to a nearby rehab facility.
I hope the DNR guy didn't just take the opportunity to get an easy dinner!
I'll be replacing the cap on the chimney this weekend.

Thanks for all of the replies!


PS: And thanks for the info PIANOMAN -I found it amusing that Burlington, Iowa was mentioned a couple times in the page you linked to. My house is in Burlington on a bluff above the Mississippi River. We have about an acre of dense woods which surely would have provided a better nesting place than my chimney!

 

[Warixenjalka]

OK, the situation is gone now and hopefully the duck is still alive, but I have to say I don't believe she was stuck. Probably it was able to go out when needed. If birds get stuck, they don't lay egg and start sitting on egg. But I can be wrong of course...:smoke:

 

[PYRTLE]

I've known many instances where ducks have laid eggs out of the nest, particularly on open grass spaces eg, golf course greens or parkland ( water nearby ). I think once the egg forming process starts, the egg develops and has to be laid regardless of in a nest or not.

 

[jurek]

Good deed for this year: put a nestbox for Wood Ducks near the house.

 

[StevoDevo]

You lucky bugger! That's so cool. What a lovely guest.
EDIT: Well I read the rest of the thread and so it seems your friend is gone too. Join the club.