Duck Eggs in the Food Chain

Do you like scrambled eggs, or huevos rancheros? Me, too. Well, these Mallard Duck eggs provided meals for many different animals. First of all, a raccoon probably found them near the creek. It chewed through the shell and had a tasty meal of eggs. Next, a little wood rat might have come along and eaten leftover egg. Then, flies and ants most likely ate some of the egg.

Here is a big word...microorganism. Mi-cro-or-gan-is-m. Microorganisms are teeny, tiny living things that can only be seen with a microscope. After the flies and ants leave, microorganisms will break down the small bit of egg that is left. Microorganisms can be fungi and bacteria. Remember the FIBS? Fungi, Insects, and Bacteria.

All of these animals took care of the yolk and white. But, who will eat the shells? Well, the raccoon ate part of the shells. Did you know worms eat shells? Yes, worms will come and slowly chew up the shells.

I know you may say "icky oooo," but all of these animals will eat the egg, and then make "poopie doobles," or scat. The scat breaks down into soil. So, my friends,
what growing things need soil, and water, and sun to live? Correct, plants! And, my friends, what is one of the things that ducks eat? Did you say plants? You are correct!

Have you seen a piece of metal chain? It is made of metal ovals called links. The links are all connected to make a chain. In nature, there are "food chains." Different living things are linked by what they eat. A plant is eaten by a duck. A duck makes an egg. An unhatched egg is eaten by many different animals. The animal scat turns into soil. The plant uses the soil to grow. And it goes on, and on like this, like a connected chain.

What things do you eat in the food chain?

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