A staffer at a museum in Washington, D.C., was surprised to spot a duck on a fifth-story terrace. Yet the webbed-footed creature had good reason to be there: It was going to be a mom.

What's happening?

Earlier this spring, Planet Word events manager Nick Olsen stumbled across the duck on the terrace, where the immersive language museum often hosts events. 

"I was like, 'What's going on?'" Olsen told The Washington Post, which detailed the duck's journey. "... I thought, 'What are you doing five stories off the ground in downtown?'" 

It turns out the duck decided to make use of one of the terrace's planters, laying eight eggs in total. City wildlife experts told The Post the eggs would hatch within 24 to 28 days. 

Why is this important?

The discovery resulted in the launch of "Duck Watch," with Planet Word setting up a Duck Cam so the public could observe the terrace's newest residents.  

The cam provided onlookers with a heartwarming and respectful way to engage with nature, yet the duck's decision to nest on the terrace highlights a more worrying trend — that habitat loss due to urban development is contributing to an uptick in unexpected wildlife encounters.

Rising global temperatures, which have altered the makeup of habitats and supercharged extreme weather events, are also a factor, as a growing number of creatures are beginning to search for resources in human-inhabited areas due to biodiversity loss.

"The ducks are taking advantage of habitat we've built," April Linton, president of rescue center City Wildlife and Duck Watch coordinator, told the Post.  

While some encounters merely cause a short-term inconvenience for humans — in D.C., the museum temporarily halted terrace events to protect soon-to-be hatchlings — others have found themselves in more dangerous situations with predators like bears and coyotes looking for food.

What's being done about this? 

Wildlife rehabilitation centers like City Wildlife are among the organizations working to rescue animals threatened by urban development and promote harmonious coexistence.  

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As for the mother duck on the terrace, Linton told The Post that her nesting spot itself was "very safe," but City Wildlife would step in once the eggs hatched in late April to prevent the hatchlings from falling over the rooftop ledge, as they wouldn't be able to fly for at least 11 weeks. 

Meanwhile, several Duck Watch observers encouraged others to take action if they encountered a similar situation in their community. 

"FYI, if you spot a duck nest in your home or neighborhood, you can report it to City Wildlife! Their Duck Watch program monitors mallard nests and helps make sure the mama duck and ducklings safely make it to the nearest body of water," added one Reddit user in a thread dedicated to the museum's Duck Watch.

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