Ugly just isn't like the other ducklings in the clutch. Whether he's stretching his long neck to feed on the succulent grasses at the bottom of the pond (and making a mess of it too!), climbing onto his mother's back whenever he's afraid, or nipping sharply at those who threaten him, Ugly's behavior is distinctly unducklike. When all the other birds of Dove Lake turn against him, Ugly's mother has no choice but to protect her family and leave her darling genius behind.