Ducks Rescued From Tulsa Storm Drain

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A pair of tear-filled brown eyes can tug at a mother's heart and get her to do just about anything for her flock or someone else's.

Pitiful duck cries landed the Oliva family in the middle of a real-life rescue drama. It all started with a storm drain near 71^st Street and Lewis Avenue and a few guests who stopped by for a snack.

"We went outside and threw some bread and then we saw that one of them (the ducklings) was missing," Matthew Oliva said.     

Coming from a family of eight, Matthew was determined to help this brood of eight.

"I had to use a basket to scoop them out, and then we gave them all to their mom," he said.

But there were a few out of his reach, so they called in reinforcements.

"So they all said whenever they had five ducklings that if that was one of them would I leave them there in the drain," said Monica Oliva, Matthew's mother. "So that got my attention, and I said absolutely not."

In came the cavalry. Firefighters were able to rescue the last two ducklings, while Mom looked on, pacing nervously.

They even plugged the hole to keep their new feathered friends out of harm's way.

"So it's kind of a happy ending now," Monica Oliva said. "We're just waiting for the momma to get to the babies."

The Olivas grabbed the tub and headed to the nearby pond with the babies, hoping the mother duck would follow. It didn't take long for her to swoop in, although there was some debate about her identity.

Once the Olivas were satisfied they had the right duck, they wished their new friends farewell and sent them on their way.