A dozen downtown ducklings were orphaned Wednesday when their mother was killed by a hawk, but an office gave the ducklings shelter.
The hawk's morning prey was sitting on her nest in the 1800 block of F Street in Northwest until the attack left the hatching eggs vulnerable to attack.
Members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights exercised some fowl rights, taking the ducklings inside to a warm, safe place until the Humane Society could arrive and take over care of the young birds. Perched on a window unit air conditioner across the street, the hawk watched.
Wednesday morning's attack has raised concern for two other mother ducks and their nests in the area. For their protection, those ducks are suffering the humiliation of being fenced in with chicken wire.
One of those ducks has her own group of caretakers -- the children of a nearby day-care center, who have named the mother duck Miss Quackers and are keeping a watchful eye on her.
The hawk had left the area by Wednesday evening, but people will be on the lookout for it around breakfast Thursday.
