B.C. rescue sees spring spike in reports of hatchlings on high rises [Video]

Two ducklings that were being picked on by crows were rescued from an 11th-storey balcony in downtown Vancouver, as calls to a local organization about hatchlings on high-rises began their annual spike.

In this case, the mother mallard nested in a planter outside of a condo and found herself in a “dilemma” when her eggs hatched, according to Jackie McQuillan with the Wildlife Association of B.C.

“She was trying to get them where they needed to go and she couldn’t,” she said.

When it came time to try to guide the babies to water – which typically happens within days of hatching – the mother found it was impossible because of the location of the nest and the ducklings’ inability to fly.

“Mama ended up taking off. She was so frantically trying to get them to follow her, she took off and then the babies were on their own,” McQuillan said.

“It made for …