Here you see Mother Mallard showing her septuplets the way by herself.
Common Eiders care for their ducklings very differently. Mother Eiders often form a "crèche" with nonbreeding females that help bring up the duckling broods in a collective:
Some reported Eider crèches have contained more than 150 ducklings that are herded along by the mothers and other females.
You might be familiar with the word "crèche" (from the Latin cripia "crib, cradle") as it is used to refer to a nativity (birth) scene, especially that of Jesus Christ. However, the word has broader implications. Here’s the Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary definition of "crèche”: “Nativity scene; day nursery; foundling hospital; a group of young animals (such as penguins or bats) gathered in one place for care and protection usually by one or more adults.”
(Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on June 8 [Eiders] and 13 [Mallards], 2023.)