Adorable ducklings take their first jump into the water (11 photos + 1 video)
Crested merganser chicks make their first swim 24 hours after hatching, but only after their mother deems it safe to do so. Steve Furcic captured a touching moment at Lake Bavaria in Minnesota, USA. 
Ducklings are ready to jump from great heights to be close to their mother, and in some cases they overcome a long distance to a pond. 
"The chicks jump out of the nest only after the mother is outside and calls them. The way everything happens on time and according to plan never ceases to amaze me," said the 66-year-old photographer. 
"Birds are more difficult to photograph because their movements can be faster and less predictable. A good photographer is like a football player: he anticipates where the ball will go rather than chasing it." 
According to the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas, the Crested Merganser can be found throughout the eastern United States, but the species' primary habitat is near the Great Lakes. 
Females often lay eggs in the nests of other ducks. There are approximately 13 eggs in one clutch, but there have been cases when up to 44 eggs were found. The ducklings leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching, after their mother has checked the surrounding area.
The longest-liver among the Crested Mergansers lived for fourteen and a half years.
