“It was mind-blowing,” said Brent Cizek, an amateur wildlife photographer who snapped the now-viral photo.

Where she goes, they follow — all 76 of them.

On a quiet lake in northern Minnesota, a female duck has become an internet sensation after being photographed leading what appears to be a never-ending trail of ducklings. The stunning image was captured by Brent Cizek at Lake Bemidji, about 150 miles northwest of Duluth, Minnesota, during a casual wildlife outing.

“I had no idea a duck could care for that many chicks,” Cizek said. “It was just one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments.”

A Rare but Fascinating Sight

While it’s not entirely unusual to see a duck with a dozen or more ducklings, what Cizek witnessed was on another level entirely. Seeing 20 to 30 ducklings with one hen has been documented before, but over 70? That’s virtually unheard of.

“It’s an extraordinary sighting,” said Richard O. Prum, an ornithologist and professor at Yale University. “It’s not something you expect, even if you study birds.”

The photo has since taken on a life of its own. It’s been shared widely by bird conservation groups and even featured on the National Audubon Society’s website. But while the image may seem bizarre at first glance, scientists explain that it’s an extreme example of a natural behavior that occurs in some bird species.

Behind the Photo: A Lucky Encounter

Cizek, who describes himself as a hobbyist with a passion for the outdoors, was not expecting much the day he took the photo. He had gone out in a small 8-foot plastic boat equipped with only one camera and one lens. It was a breezy day, and the water was choppy, making it difficult to get steady shots.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he spotted a female duck gliding across the lake, followed by what looked like a small army of tiny ducklings.

“I just started snapping away,” Cizek said. “I was trying to balance the boat and the camera, and it wasn’t easy.” When he got home and reviewed his photos, only one turned out clearly — but it was a perfect shot: the duck, now affectionately called "Mama," at the front of a long, orderly line of ducklings trailing behind her.

“She looked almost regal — proud, calm, in control,” he said. “It makes you stop and ask: How? How did this come to be?”

On a return trip to the lake, Cizek counted 76 ducklings in total, all closely following Mama’s every move.

Are All the Ducklings Hers?

Highly unlikely.

The mother duck is a common merganser, a type of freshwater duck known for nesting in tree cavities or crevices near lakes and rivers. According to the National Audubon Society, females typically lay around 10 to 12 eggs at most.

However, common mergansers engage in a reproductive strategy known as brood parasitism, where females may lay their eggs in the nests of other females of the same species. This helps distribute their genetic offspring and may increase their chances of survival.

Even with egg-dumping considered, experts say it’s impossible for one female to incubate 50 or more eggs — she simply wouldn’t be able to physically cover that many during the incubation period.

“It’s impossible for this individual to have incubated, you know, 50 eggs,” said Prum. “That is really too much.”

So, Why Is She Raising So Many Ducklings?

The answer lies in a behavior known as a crèche — a type of communal childcare system. In certain bird species like mergansers, ostriches, and flamingos, adult females sometimes pool their offspring together and assign one female to care for them while others go off to feed, rest, or molt.

“In this case, what we’re likely seeing is one female — probably the most experienced and capable — acting as the caregiver for multiple broods,” said David Rave, a wildlife manager with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who oversees the Bemidji area.

Rave noted that many of the females in the area are likely closely related and nest around the same time. After the eggs hatch, adult females typically leave to molt their feathers, a process that makes them flightless for a few weeks. During this vulnerable time, they entrust their ducklings to a “matriarch” who assumes the role of caretaker.

“She’d be kind of like the great-grandmother,” Rave explained. “It’s something we’ve seen before, but the size of this crèche is exceptional. I’ve seen crèches of 35 to 50 ducklings, but 70? That’s extremely rare.”

The Ducklings Follow Mama Everywhere

Since his first encounter, Cizek has returned to the lake several times to observe the growing ducklings. He’s seen other adult ducks nearby, but it's always Mama that the ducklings follow — swimming in a tight cluster behind her, mimicking her every turn.

“They’re completely devoted to her,” Cizek said. “When she moves, they move. When she stops, they stop. It’s like they know she’s the leader, even if she’s not their biological mom.”

The reaction from the public has been overwhelming. Many online have dubbed her “Mom of the Year” — a title Cizek believes she’s earned.

“Everybody is just amazed,” he said. “It’s not only beautiful, it’s inspiring. In a world full of chaos, there’s something comforting about seeing a mother taking care of her babies — even if they’re not all hers.”