About Ducks and Geese |
 |
Ducks and geese are waterfowl, birds normally found near bodies of water. In nature, ducks can live to be 12 years old, while geese can live to be 25.
When we think of ducks, the first things that come to mind are their signature waddle and the "quack-quack" sound they use to communicate. Ducks waddle because they have webbed feet, which act like paddles when they are in the water. Their feet lack nerves and blood vessels, so even in icy water a duck cannot feel the cold.
As for their quacking, scientists in Great Britain recently found that, like humans, ducks have regional accents. City ducks were found to have a "shouting" quack to compensate for the noise of the city, while country ducks have softer voices.
When a friend tells you to stop worrying about something, she may encourage you to "let it roll like water off a duck's back." Indeed, a duck's outer layer of feathers is made waterproof from oil produced by a gland near the bird's tail. Underneath the waterproof layer is a layer of soft, fluffy feathers that keeps the duck warm. Ducks like to keep themselves and their nests clean, and can frequently be seen preening their feathers with their bills.
Pairing and Procreation
In winter, ducks usually look for a mate. Male ducks entice females with their colorful plumage, and, in spring, the female will lead the male to her breeding ground. Interestingly, a female's breeding ground is typically the location where she, as a chick, was hatched.
A female's ability to lay eggs is directly related to the amount of daylight to which she's exposed. On farms that warehouse thousands of ducks for their eggs, ducks are exposed to 17 hours of artificial sunlight every day to increase their production.
In nature, after the female lays her eggs, she will sit on them and keep them warm, while the male goes off to spend time with the other males in the group. The eggs usually hatch within 28 days. Ducklings can swim with their mother within hours of their birth and, if they lose their mother, they can travel as far as a mile to locate water.
Teamwork on the Wing
Geese and ducks both travel in large groups to ensure their safety and to assist in flight. Multiple families of geese—including mothers, fathers, children (goslings), grandparents, and in-laws—form a gaggle and migrate together.
The sight of a group of geese soaring high in the sky in a "V" formation is a familiar one, but what you may not know is why geese fly in this formation. Migrating in "V" formation makes it easier for each individual bird to fly, allowing the group to fly up to 71% farther than if each bird flew alone. In this formation, the birds play different roles depending on their positions. When the lead goose gets tired, the birds rotate so that another can take the lead. The birds flying behind honk to encourage those in front to keep up their speed.
With such a natural tendency for cooperation, these social animals have something valuable to teach us about teamwork and compassion.
Loyal Unto Death
Geese are fiercely loyal animals. Unlike many other animals, geese choose their mates and stay with them "until death do they part." A goose will only seek out a new partner when his or her original mate has died, and some will refuse to mate again. This is particularly interesting since geese can live to be 25 years old.
These birds are also very protective of their loved ones. If a goose’s mate or gosling becomes sick or injured, she will often refuse to leave her ailing family member. This protective instinct takes priority over her own survival; she will remain by her loved one's side even if winter is approaching and the other geese in her group are heading south.
Emotionally, a goose will respond to the loss of her mate or unhatched eggs by secluding herself from others and taking the time to mourn. Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz found that geese express grief in a manner similar to young children when he wrote that "the eyes sink deep into their sockets, and the individual has an overall drooping experience, literally letting the head hang."
Related Links
Force-Fed Abuse
