Merganser hen with a full brood

Merganser broods can be enormous, and this hen was ferrying a full boatload of ducklings tucked onto her back while a few more paddled alongside in the water — a common merganser strategy for keeping the smallest chicks warm and safe from fish and snapping turtles lurking below.

Why it matters

Common mergansers sometimes practice “egg dumping,” where females lay eggs in each other’s nests, which is part of why brood sizes can look implausibly large — broods of 20 or more ducklings under one hen aren’t unheard of, even though a single female typically lays far fewer eggs herself.

Getting the shot

Shaded water under the riverbank kept the whole scene cool and low-contrast, letting the hen’s chestnut head and the ducklings’ patterns read clearly without harsh highlights. Stayed on the opposite bank and let the family drift past rather than trying to get ahead of them.