A duckling is a baby duck. When a mother duck lays eggs and they hatch, the tiny, fuzzy birds that emerge are ducklings. They're covered in soft, fluffy down feathers (usually yellow, brown, or black) and follow their mother in a line wherever she goes, learning to swim, find food, and stay safe from predators.

Ducklings can swim almost immediately after hatching, which seems remarkable until you remember they're waterbirds. They paddle behind their mother across ponds and streams, sometimes climbing onto her back when they get tired. Within just a few weeks, ducklings grow their adult feathers and become fully capable ducks.

The word is also used affectionately for young children or as a term of endearment, like when a grandmother calls her grandchildren “my little ducklings.” This comes from the image of ducklings as adorable, vulnerable creatures that need care and protection.

You might know the story “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen, about a duckling who feels different and out of place until he grows up and discovers he's actually a beautiful swan. The tale reminds us that people (and birds) can develop at their own pace.