NOEL KING, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Noel King. A hospital in Rochester, N.Y., observed what they call a rite of spring. Every year, a mama duck lays her eggs in one of their courtyards. Once her ducklings have hatched, she lets the facility know it's time for her to go. They open the door to the courtyard and she leads a parade of ducklings inside, down the hall and out another door to the outside world. I guess when it comes to giving birth, if you find a system that works, stick with it. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.