Ducklings Mistake the Berry Print on a Picnic Blanket for Real Food, and Everyone Feels for Them
Summer is the perfect time for a picnic in the park, especially next to the water. As @holliamea learned on July 4, though, being out in nature often means you're never alone. She and a friend were enjoying the sunshine at a lakeside park in Westmount, a town located inside Montreal, when a brood of ducklings interrupted for the cutest reason.
The fuzzy ducklings thought the berry print on their picnic blanket was real berries! Watching the ducklings mistake berry print for real food left some viewers swooning over the sweetness, but others felt genuinely bad for the innocent ducks. However you feel about it, there's no question this was one memorable picnic!
@holliamea #youngducks#ducks#picnic#westmount#westmountmontreal
original sound - Augi
These poor ducks make me want to find them some berries to eat! They were so excited when they first approached @holliamea's adorable blanket, but by the time they left, their curiosity had dwindled. Still, it was special to see the young ducks acting so curious!
"I would be on my way to the store to get them real berries," commenter @babydollbrat3115 admitted. I'm glad it's not just me! Dozens of other commenters admitted feeling guilty for the hungry and hopeful ducks, but these girls did the right thing by letting them explore instead of feeding or interacting with them.
Related: Heroic Woman Climbs Into Storm Drain To Rescue Flock of Ducklings Who Fell In
When another commenter praised the way the girls respected the animals' space, @holliamea responded, "They are young and have so much trust. The Westmount ducks are so protected that the cadets come around to monitor the people and make sure we're not feeding or harming them, too!"
Why Not to Feed Ducks
Seeing the ducklings mistake the berry print for real food could make any animal lover feel guilty, but these girls can rest assured that they did the right thing. Not only is feeding wild birds, including ducks, not allowed in most places, but it's also not healthy for the birds' long-term survival.
Feeding ducks can teach them to rely on humans for food, which can eventually impede their ability to find food on their own. In the long run, it can also encourage populations to grow too large as ducks compete for readily available food, leading to easily transmitted diseases and a weakened gene pool.
SIGN UP to get "pawsitivity" delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends
Instead of feeding ducks, take a page from these girls' books. You can appreciate these wild animals from a distance, or even close up, without interrupting their lives.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 1:44 PM.