Expert: Julia Booth - 6/24/2008

Question
I had a duck (I belive mallard) nesting in my back yard under one of my day lilies.  I noticed it missing for 1.5 weeks, so I went to the plant to pull some weeds, to find the eggs covered.  Do mother ducks leave their nest?  What do you suggest I do.  I live in a city outside of metro
Detroit. Recently some woods along the river were torn up b/c of a sewerage project.

Answer
Nesting female mallards will sometimes briefly leave the nest and cover their eggs with down for protection. That many days makes me think something happened to her and that she is not coming back.

Leave them alone for now, just incase you're mistaken about how recently the mother has been there. If you're correct, then the eggs are unlikely to be viable. I'd still hate you to dispose of them until your absolutely sure.