Female mallard duck with new ducklings, Anas platyrhynchos, on a stream in springtime at Swinbrook, the Cotswolds, UK

7 anas platyrhynchos animal families baby animals birth breeding british closeness copying cotswold scene custody ducklings england english countryside following great britain in the wild keeping safe leader leadership leading leading the way learning mallard duck new life newborn offspring oxfordshire protection rearing relationship relationships river scene rivers rural scene staying close swinbrook teaching the cotswolds uk united kingdom water fowl waterfowl waterways wild fowl wildfowl animal animal behavior animal behaviour animal instinct animals aves avians beauty in nature best bird birdlife birds botanical botany brood caring clear water clearwater clutch cold companion companions companionship custodian cute day old downstream early summer family group fauna feather female mallard fluffy habitats happy family hatchlings horticultural horticulture instincts lake lakes landscape landscapes life stages lifecycle mallards native british natural beauty natural habitat natural world nature nature photo nature photograph nature photography nature photos nature stock newly hatched nurture nurturing parent parenting picture perfect picture postcard view plant plants pond ponds protecting reproduction river river scenes rural scenes season seasons seven showing the way spring springtime stock image stock photograph stock photographs stream streams survival tail feathers together togetherness verdancy verdant scene water water bird waterbird waterbirds waterway wetland birds wetlands wild animals wildlife young animals medium group of animals animal themes animal family young animal female animal side view full length cheerful colour image color colour