Mother duck marches her family of ducklings through a school hallway from her nest to the pond – as she has done for the past 10 years
- The adorable ducklings walk through Gary Allan High School in Burlington, Ontario every year
- They nest in the courtyard and have to go through the halls to get to the pond
- Students and teachers line the hallways to see the ducks pass through
This is the adorable moment a family of ducklings are guided through the corridors of a school by their mother duck.
In the footage, the duck enters one of the glass entrances to Gary Allan High School in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, before waddling her way through the hallways with her ducklings in tow.
The ducks have been making the journey through the school every year for the past decade after nesting in the courtyard.
A family of ducklings led by their mother walk through the hallway of Gary Allen High School in Ontario, Canada
Having made the two-minute walk through the interior of the school, the family then crossed the campus car park and a patch of grass, before settling in a creek on the other side.
According to the Halton School District Board, the ducks’ arrival is an annual occurrence.
For the past decade or so, a pair of mallard ducks have found their way to the school, where they then nest in the interior courtyard.
Once the ducklings hatch, the mother realises there is no way out of the courtyard for the youngsters that are unable to fly.
The ducks have been making the journey through the school every year for the past decade after nesting in the courtyard
The mother duck has even started tapping her beak on the glass door at the front of the school so someone can let them in
So she heads to the doors of the school, taps her beak on the glass, and asks for a helping hand.
Mrs Ruhl, a guidance counsellor at the school, witnessed the moment on May 15 with Sean Mercer, AACE assistant in the learning Commons.
The guidance counsellor said: ‘As time passes by when the duck is sitting on her nest, more and more staff and students spend an increasing amount of time at the windows, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the ducklings.
After travelling through the school halls, the ducks reach their destination on the other side
‘When the babies are ready and the mother is pacing at the door needing to make her way to the creek, we get so excited – we gather as many staff and students as possible and line the hallways so she can’t make a wrong turn.
‘Anyone who has ever been involved knows that your cheeks hurt at the end, because you are smiling the whole time.
‘Your heart beats quicker than normal, and you feel a little overwhelmed being present during such a momentous journey for the family.
‘It’s a long walk for those little ducklings and you feel joy in helping them reach their destination.’