Wild Ducklings Receive Head Start at Green Chimneys

Resident Voices Making Change

July 28, 2023

May 4, 2018

Green Chimneys Students Care for and Release Ducks Back to the Wild

At long last, there are signs of spring blossoming throughout both Green Chimneys campuses, from budding trees to baby wildlife. Yes, that’s right, babies! Recently a wild (and perhaps wise) Mallard duck chose to nest at the Wildlife Center. Once the eggs hatched, staff hosted the mama Mallard and her eight ducklings in an enclosure so that the babies could grow safely with minimal human interaction and without risk of predators.

Two weeks later, and with the help of Green Chimneys School students, the Mallard mama and her ducklings were escorted to the Great Swamp, one of New York’s major wetlands situated adjacent to our Brewster campus. The duck and her babies were successfully released back into the wild.

Click the image above for more pictures and a video of the release.

Just before the ducks were released, one student called out, “Bye little ducklings, have a nice life!”

Experiences like these help children with special needs not only create great memories and learn from hands-on activities; experiences like these provide children, some of whom have difficulty connecting with peers, the chance to witness nurturing, assist in caregiving and even develop empathy.

Brownie

With the completion of an elaborate new habitat built by Green Chimneys’ woodshop students, the Farm Science classroom was able to welcome Brownie into her new home. Brownie previously lived alone in her cage in the farm and wildlife office, but guinea pigs do best in larger environments. The new habitat allows her to live in a herd as she would in the wild, with many places to hide and ways to practice her skills. Brownie has always been a social creature, and she has taken over the guinea pig herd but is a very peaceful leader.