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(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Every year about this time, Utah's wildlife division starts getting calls from people who are concerned about the ducklings and other baby birds they spot in their backyards.
Many people say they are worried that the ducklings aren't finding enough to eat or are too far from water.
Wildlife officials say you shouldn't worry.
Ducklings are able to care for themselves from the day they are born. The mother duck's job is to fight off predators and lead them to water.
So the wildlife division says you should leave those ducklings alone.
Wild ducks are federally protected migratory birds. Picking them up is against the law, except with a hunting license during the official hunting season.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
