WASHINGTON — Ducklings now have an easier time climbing in and out of the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool thanks to special ramps created for water fowl of all types and ages.
The ramps, according to the Architect of the Capitol’s blog, were designed with the help of a D.C. wildlife rehabilitation group.
City Wildlife helped the Capitol’s grounds crew understand the needs of the ducklings and provided advice about the best way to build the ramps to help the birds navigate up and over the reflecting pool’s roughly 2-foot-high ledge.
“Awesome. That is beautiful, I think that is necessary. I’m glad (City Wildlife) participated,” said Cory Davis of Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Davis works nearby and was enjoying lunch at the reflecting pool on Tuesday.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Davis said of the ramps. “It really helps the ducks.” Davis said.
Visiting from Lexington Park, Maryland, Jeanette Borries laughed while watching a mother duck chastising two of her many ducklings who paddled farther away than their siblings.
“And to watch the families coming up and down, it’s just great,” Borries said. “The ramps make it so much easier for them to move around.”
The new ramps sit on the east side of the reflecting pool closest to the Capitol.
At one corner of the 6-acre pool, an existing piece of concrete slopes toward the water but would still require a hop of several inches for the small ducklings to reach the ledge.
See one of the ramps in action:
Duckling update: Ramp in Use! pic.twitter.com/34E6oJOkCF
— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) May 16, 2017
