Does father duck need to stay around after eggs are laid?

Father ducks, also called drakes, do not necessarily need to stay around after the eggs are laid. In some species, such as mallards, the male leaves after mating and takes no part in raising the young. In other species, such as geese, the male may stay with the female to defend the nest from predators and may even help with incubation and feeding the young. The level of paternal care in ducks and other waterfowl varies greatly among different species and even within the same species, depending on environmental conditions and social factors.