Critically endangered ‘diving duck’ chicks hatch at Lincoln Park Zoo

Three critically endangered chicks hatched recently at Lincoln Park Zoo.

The Boer’s pochard chicks hatched July 29 are the first of their kind born at the North Side zoo, the facility announced Thursday. The sex and measurements of the chicks have not been determined.

The chicks are being hand-reared by keepers behind the scenes at the McCormick Bird House, but zoo guests can see two male and two female adult Baer’s pochards in the Wetlands exhibit. The adult birds recently arrived at the zoo.

The Baer’s pochard is a diving duck species native to the wetlands of eastern Asia, according to the zoo.

“These chicks are a huge success story for the Baer’s pochard species, which is critically endangered in the wild due to hunting and habitat loss,” Sunny Nelson, the zoo’s curator of birds, said in a statement.

“We’re excited to work closely with other zoos and aquariums to provide a future for this species and encourage guests to stop by to learn more about these birds,” Nelson said.