A brood of Nelson ducklings may be the world's biggest.

A brood of 26 ducklings dwelling in a Tahunanui creek, near Nelson, may be the world's biggest.

A mallard duck and her pack of fuzzy followers were discovered by local resident Lorna Jenkins while walking near her home late last week. They have since settled on the waterway's muddy banks.

Jenkins has taken on the mantle of custodian for the potentially record breaking brood giving the family regular servings of cooked rice, while keeping potential threats like seagulls at bay.

BRADEN FASTIER Just hanging out, having a swim.

"They've all got personalities - I tell you what, they're a real time-waster," she said.

While records of this nature are largely anecdotal, according to The Daily Mail the largest brood reported is the 24 that hatched at in West Sussex, England in 2013.

The creek, located near the Nelson Golf Club, has become a mini-wildlife sanctuary for the street's residents in recent years and efforts have been made to ensure that both animals and humans are made to feel at home.

BRADEN FASTIER Twenty six ducklings living near Nelson Golf Club in Tahunanui, Nelson could be a world record.

"It's just somewhere to sit, watch and get away from it all," Jenkins said.

Among the creatures who have made themselves at home there recently are white herons, kingfishers, spotted shags and a group of eels that at one point threatened to deprive the duckling brood of one member.

While no one can confirm when the ducklings hatched or how many are the mother's official offspring, the interaction between them has convinced Jenkins that there is a biological connection.

"It was definitely her family - just looking at how were all huddled close together this morning," she said.

With such a large brood to nurture into adulthood, the mother duck faces almost two months of protecting her furry charges.

Laying mainly occurs from late July to September, with renesting, if necessary, in October or early November.

In urban areas, mallards may raise two broods a year with the clutch of 10-13 pale green eggs hatching after 27-28 days of incubation.

According to a report by Southland Fish and Game officer Erin Garrick, duckling survival is higher when broods are located further from sources of human impact on the environment - such as houses, sheds, roads and when broods travel shorter distances.

With people like Lorna Jenkins looking out for them and a hideaway creek to call their own, the chances of this family sticking together may beat the odds, as well as a record.