Every spring at Disneyland the air is filled with the quacking sounds of dozens of ducklings.

They are the offspring of the adult ducks that populate the park’s many different ponds and waterways. They can even be seen walking the walkways with Mom and Dad as they scavenge for food.

Visitors “ooh” and “ah” when they see the baby ducks, sometimes wandering between the chairs and tables outside some of the park’s restaurants.

Some of the foods the ducks eat are the same ones popular with visitors to the park: Churros and popcorn.

Many visitors will buy a box of popcorn just to feed the ducks, and the ducks know it — frequently waddling up close to those they see with popcorn or churros and begging with a delicate “quack-quack.”

But even though the ducks are somewhat tame, they are still hunted. Feral cats patrol the park at night, looking for baby ducks or duck eggs. By day, bigger birds watch for the baby ducks as food for their own young.

On Tuesday, a black-crowned night-heron sat on the edge of Frontierland’s Rivers of America. It kept an eye on a group of ducks, adult and babies, eating some popcorn thrown in the water. Suddenly it took flight, reached down and grabbed one of the baby ducks. The adult ducks immediately gave chase and harassed it, forcing it to let go of the baby.

The baby duck looked shaken as it floated and swam safely in the water again, sticking very close to its mother.

Besides ducks, other waterfowl include geese, as a mother and father were seen swimming near the Mark Twain Riverboat with their lone offspring.

Of course, Disneyland has its own duck, and some say he acts like a child when he loses his temper. We are speaking of none other than Donald Duck. But he is usually found in Town Square on Main Street U.S.A. and not in the waterways. He will gladly pose for photos, unlike the baby ducks.

Contact the writer: meades@ocregister.com