Female ducks will leave the nest during the day to feed. That is different than the behavior of nesting geese. The hen Mallard nesting in the swamp behind our house makes a daily pond appearance. Her nest is well-hidden in swamp reeds and weeds, her eggs kept warm by the down she has plucked from herself. She comes off the nest for drinking, bathing, and eating the corn we scatter near the shore. In one study, Blue-winged Teal were off the nest for an average of almost five hours per day. Geese, on the other hand, rarely leave their eggs unattended. They rely on nutrition they build up and store prior to laying eggs. Their nests generally are more exposed than those of ducks, demanding greater vigilance. Female swans can be absent from their exposed nests because the male bird shares incubation duties.
The nests of geese are exposed, demanding constant care from the bird. This Canada Goose will get off her eggs only to turn them.
