A mallard duck egg hatches and the first moving object it sees is a young girl. the duckling begins following the girl everywhere. what is this case of mistaken identity called?

This case of mistaken identity called imprinting. The best-known form of imprinting is filial imprinting, in which a young animal acquires several of its behavioral characteristics from its parent. It is most obvious in nidifugous birds, which imprint on their parents and then follow them around.