Yes maybe! A duck that has not been on the water for several days will, on its first immersion, either almost completely submerge in water, or drown altogether.
The secret of a duck's buoyancy is in its plumage and keeping it "in order" all the time.
The plumage of ducks is very dense and completely impervious to water. Here's how the duck does it.
Duck feathers have the finest bristles - beards. They cling to each other with microscopic hooks, and in this way the plumage is strong and retains its shape well.
The second secret of waterfowl is the grease of feathers, which has water-repellent properties. If in mammals each hair is equipped at the base with its own sebaceous gland, which lubricates it so that it does not break, then in birds the skin is completely dry. They have only one sebaceous gland for the whole body - this is the coccygeal gland. The bird squeezes the lubricant out of the oil gland with its beak and then applies it to the whole body, to each feather.
When a duck is on land, mud sticks to its feathers. In addition, the barbs of duck feathers stick together and break without water. Therefore, the duck needs to bathe at least twice a day.
But even after bathing, the beards lose their mutual connection. However, if the feather is shaken hard, its unfastened microhooks will automatically come into contact with each other, and it will become elastic again.
That is why, having bathed and climbed ashore, the duck proceeds to "hygienic procedures". This ritual is always performed in a strict order. It is laid from birth, along with other instincts.
First, the duck squeezes water with its beak and shakes it off - first it shakes its whole body, then its head. So she gets rid of excess moisture and restores the necessary adhesion between the grooves of the feathers, which again acquire elasticity and flexibility.
Then the duck proceeds to "stack" the feathers with its beak. Some waterfowl do this by using small hooks on the inside of their beaks, using them as a comb.
And, in conclusion, the duck "pomades itself", smearing the feathers with the oily secret of the coccygeal gland. First, the bird presses its beak on the gland, squeezing grease out of it, as if from a tube. Then he takes the lubricant in his beak and rubs the body - first the feathers of the chest, then the sides, back, wings, belly, tail, feathers on the thighs and last of all the head.
Since, naturally, the head cannot be reached with its beak, the bird lubricates it by rubbing it in a circular motion on its back. Or, having removed the fat from the beak with its claws, it combs the feathers on the head with them.
With good lubrication, bird feathers can hold a lot of air. So, under a duck feather, weighing only 67 grams, up to 650 cm 3 (more than half a liter!) Of air is placed, which forms a kind of air cushion that facilitates both flight and swimming.
Duck cleaning feathers
That is why, if a duck has not bathed or cared for its plumage for several days, it can drown if it falls into the water. Her feathers on land without proper care dry out and become brittle. When wet, they lose the ability to keep the bird on the surface of the water. Moreover, with such "lost tone" feathers, the duck also loses its ability to fly: the feather cuts through the air not elastically, but softly, like butter - a knife, and therefore the stop necessary for flight, the necessary aerodynamic forces, is not obtained.
The article used photos from the site st-roll.ru
One of the main symbols of the protesters, who went to anti-corruption rallies in various cities of Russia on Sunday, chose a yellow duck, as well as sneakers. Both images are inspired by the investigations of Alexei Navalny. The duck has become a vivid symbol of corruption after users saw a home for this waterfowl in a film about Dmitry Medvedev's dacha in Plyos. Since then, the image of a duck has been used more than once - for example, in St. Petersburg in early March, protesters walked around police cars with posters and quacked.
The idea to go out on Tverskaya with sneakers was also proposed - in another investigation dedicated to the so-called secret empire. The film claimed that it was possible to learn about the facts of corruption thanks to the purchase of sneakers by the Prime Minister.
Those who went to Sunday rallies used the image of government officials dressed in prison uniforms. This is one of the most popular options for depicting objectionable rulers, especially when it comes to corruption.
From prison and hole
Images of government officials in prison uniforms were used during protests in Brazil, when former President Lui da Silva and then-head of the country Dilma Rousseff were suspected of abuse of power and corrupt manipulations. Then, at rallies, protesters used balloons in the form of prisoners involved in a corruption scandal.
Posters depicting government representatives in prison attire have been taken out at demonstrations and during recent protests in Romania. Activists who accused the ruling party of this country of hindering the fight against corruption took to the streets on February 1 this year, and then held several more protests demanding the resignation of the government. As another of the protest symbols, they also used a flag with a hole - an image that refers to the events of almost 30 years ago. In 1989, during the December Revolution, demonstrators cut the coat of arms of the Socialist Republic of Romania from the flag.
Another symbol of the Romanian protests was the mask of Guy Fawkes, one of the organizers of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 in England, who later surrendered all his accomplices under torture. In English-speaking countries, Fox has long been one of the main symbols of the conspiracy, but by the 1980s he was almost forgotten. Interest in Guy Fawkes arose again after the release in 2006 of the film "V for Vendetta", based on the comic book of the same name, the main character of which wore a corresponding mask. After that, the Guy Fawkes mask became one of the most popular symbols of the fight against corruption and protests against the current government.
Protest silently
Not all demonstrators, dissatisfied with the situation in the country or the world, took to the squares with posters and slogans - because of the impossibility of holding a rally or simply preferring a quiet protest.
For example, in France in November 2015, activists planned to hold a rally to draw attention to the problems of climate change. But due to the state of emergency imposed after a series of terrorist attacks, the protesters had to refuse to take to the streets. Then the activists, without formally violating the ban, brought thousands of shoes to the square, some of which contained plants. For example, among the "protest" shoes were slippers with moss inside.
In the United States, a few days after the results of the presidential election became known, Trump's opponents decided to express their position with ordinary pins. They attached them to their clothes and spread information on social networks that this distinctive sign should become a symbol of unity and express support for migrants. Previously, the pin was already used in the UK after the referendum on leaving the EU, then it was also attached as a sign of support for migrants and refugees.
In 2014, in Hong Kong, when there was a series of rallies in support of democracy, the demonstrators developed a whole system of symbols. For example, yellow ribbons meant solidarity with the Democratic Party, and with the help of arms crossed over their heads, protesters expressed disagreement with the policies of the current authorities. After several days of protests, those who were tired of what was happening and called on activists to calm down and "bring back a calm Hong Kong" also used blue ribbons. And one of the most striking symbols of those protests were umbrellas - the demonstrators were forced to use them to protect themselves in clashes with the police.
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Near the base of the tail, ducks have an oil gland that produces lubricant. Each time, taking water procedures, birds clean their plumage both during swimming and after it. At the same time, they stimulate the work of the sebaceous gland and distribute the lubricant throughout the plumage, making it waterproof. If the gland stops producing lubrication, or the birds do not have constant access to water, the ducks will not be able to apply an oily coating to the plumage and wash the dirt from the feathers. For this reason, normally waterproof feathers get wet and remain damp after the ducks emerge from the water.
Particularly sensitive to wet plumage. Therefore, when breeding them, it is very important to ensure that the feathers are not wet and clean, and that the ducks often swim.
Causes
Treatment
The treatment is as follows. Bring the sick duck indoors and bathe it in water using a mild liquid dishwashing detergent, then rinse the plumage well with clean water. Before releasing the duck back into the yard, let the feathers - outer and bottom - dry completely. This procedure will remove the old grease and any contamination on the feathers, and give the bird a chance to break out of the vicious cycle and start over.
During the recovery period, the duck should not be allowed to bathe for a while, the only thing that can be allowed is to wet its head in a small tub of water to stimulate the process of cleaning the plumage with lubrication. After a few days, you can let the bird swim for a short time. And only after you make sure that the duck's feathers have become waterproof again, you can allow it to bathe normally.
If you already have a duck that suffers from wet plumage, you will need to limit its time in the water, especially during the cold season, and you will need to dry its feathers well each time they get wet.
The severity of the disease can be different. If the above treatment does not work, then you will most likely have to wait until the duck sheds and grows new feathers.
Adding some vitamin complexes or raw molasses to the feed of a sick bird will enrich its diet with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which will help it recover faster.
Peking ducks in the yard - video
Logical riddles, riddles of ingenuity are not only the most interesting pastime, but also an excellent simulator of our ingenuity and attentiveness. It should be noted that often not only a rich imagination helps us to get to the bottom of the truth, but also the knowledge of some laws of grammar. Yes Yes exactly!
Ducks, shores, prepositions and conjunctions
As a child, adults with a sly smile probably asked you questions like "why do ducks swim?" And when you immediately, with a smart look, pleased that you could show off your erudition, answered that this is a bird from the waterfowl family, therefore, ponds, lakes and even puddles for them are the same native habitat as a meadow with green grass, you were stopped by the answer unexpected and simple to genius. It sounded like this: "Why do ducks swim? On the water!" You nodded your head in confusion and surprise: right! But, it turns out, not really! After all, the accuracy of solving this rebus depends on such a detail: what part of speech is the word “why” and how, together or separately, it is written. If this is a pronoun with a preposition - one answer, if an adverb, then another. So think after that why ducks swim!
Reason value
So, as you understand, the essence of the clue lies in the grammatical status of the first word of the riddle. If the reasons (synonyms: as a result of what, because of what), then adults are deeply mistaken, thinking that they easily caught you. After all, why do ducks swim - because such is their nature, that without bathing they can’t do it at all, like geese, swans, etc. But if we don’t have an adverb, but an interrogative pronoun “what” in the form with the preposition “by” - quite another thing! That is, if you are asked "on what the duck swims," then it is correct to say "on the water." Or on the lake, sea, river. That is, on any water surface! So learn grammar, and any "smart" uncle (or aunt), our dear young readers, you can easily outdo.
And not just ducks!
The riddle about ducks can sound in different versions, but the principle, or reasoning algorithm, is the same as that stated above. For example: from what (from what place - from the coast) does it swim or why (why - because the bird has such a breed); why (in the sky) or why (because the field is from the same series, remember: “What did the elephant do when he came to the field?” He ate grass, right? The catch here lies, again, in spelling. If you leave sentence in this form, then everything is correct.What if you need to write like this: “What was the elephant doing when Napoleon came?” Then you can come up with a lot of different answers.
And who knows: “Why is there water in a glass?” Say: "To drink!" Right. But let's put the question in a different way: "Why is there water in a glass (or compote, tea, milk, that is, any liquid)?" What do you think? That's right, behind glass (if it is glass) or behind plastic, paper, respectively. What conclusion can be drawn? Learn grammar, friends, and no one will fool you around your finger!
Smile just like that
And finally, a few more verbal logical labyrinths. One of them reads as follows: "The hunter bought a gun. He walks around the city, thinks how to try it out. He sees a tower, there is a clock on it. He took aim and fired. Where do you think the hunter got?" No, not at the clock - to the police!
Modern domestic ducks originate from wild mallard relatives, or mallards, which nest in all corners of the globe where they can find a suitable place for themselves: a lake, a swamp or a river backwater overgrown with reeds, reeds and other grasses. In general, the duck is looking for any suitable body of water, where it can spend a long time doing its favorite pastime - swimming.
The domesticated bird also remained practically unchanged, and even retained a lot of the coloring of wild representatives of waterfowl. Imitating her ancient ancestors, the domestic bird representative is ready to glide across the water surface with her offspring for days on end in search of food among the water thickets. The duck is an excellent swimmer and this feature is due to its lifestyle.
Why does a bird love water?
The question of why a duck swims and how it manages to stay on the water surface at ease has long been of interest to man. To do this, nature endowed the bird with certain structural features of the body, allowing it to swim perfectly and not drown.
The wild individual spends a lot of time on the water in search of food, and the domestic love for swimming was inherited from wild relatives.
Many people know the fact that different birds are able to land and take off from the water, spending a lot of time on the water surface.
To do this, the birds have a special bag filled with air, which, like a float, pushes the bird out of the water, preventing it from drowning.
But there are birds whose life is unthinkable without water. These include the mallard, which is constantly on the water in search of food, doing hygiene procedures, and even resting with its head under its wing. At the level of physiology, birds have qualitatively developed adaptations that contribute not only to swimming, but also to diving.
An unusual documentary about ducks
What keeps a duck on the surface of the water?
The original shape of the body, slightly flattened from below, helps the birds to swim on the water. This allows the duck to stay on the water like a boat. Another distinguishing feature of waterfowl is their porous bones. No less important in the buoyancy of winged creatures is the plumage, which is water resistant. Feathers are covered with an oily liquid that prevents them from getting wet.
Thanks to these features, the feathered waterfowl is not afraid of even very cold water. The structure of the duck's body is such that the feathers act as a water-repellent barrier. In other words, they do not let water through. The bird keeps well on the water, because it constantly cares for its plumage:
- feathered representatives of waterfowl constantly lubricate their feathers with an oily liquid;
- oil production occurs in a special gland located in the tail area;
- the duck will never dive into the water until it has processed each feather;
- a thick layer of fluff, which serves as an additional air layer, helps the duck not to drown.
I would like to note that only thanks to the special oil that covers each feather, the duck stays on the water for a very long time, without the risk of getting wet or freezing. It has been empirically proven that a feathered, devoid of lubrication, will not be able to stay on the water surface.
It helps to stay on the water and the subcutaneous layer of fat, which is quite well developed in birds. Plus, this layer is responsible for thermoregulation, preventing the duck from supercooling in cold water.
Unique paws - the main assistant in duck buoyancy
Why does a winged creature rest freely on the water surface? The unique design of the paws helps him in this.
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- The toes of a waterfowl are interconnected by membranes resembling skin, somewhat similar to the membranes of the hind paws of a frog. At the same time, the design of the legs themselves is strongly pushed back and has a small length.
- Due to this structure of the limbs, the feathered one moves slowly on the ground, waddling, and if it needs to accelerate, it loses its balance and may fall forward, landing on its chest.
- But as soon as the duck enters the water, its elongated body lies on the water surface like the hull of a boat, and its paws with swimming membranes work as oars.
- Also, the steering function is assigned to the duck paws. The limbs of a waterfowl, placed closer to the back of the body, do an excellent job with the functions of the steering wheel.
If we consider the paw joints separately, they have a unique design, due to which movement through the water becomes easy and relaxed. Duck feet are very powerful and have good mobility. Plus, the limbs are insensitive to cold and, therefore, do not freeze in any water.
The length of the paws also plays an important role in feathered swimming: people who once rowed a boat know very well that when the oars are deep, it becomes much harder to row. The same will happen with a waterfowl whose legs are too long.
The secrets of the unsinkability of a unique feathered
The main reason for the duck's unsinkability is its unique plumage, which is regularly cleaned and lubricated, in general, is maintained in order. At the same time, each feather fits very tightly to the next one and the body of the bird, forming a waterproof barrier.
Feathers are equipped with thin beards interlocked with each other. Miniature hooks contribute to this. Thanks to this hitch, the plumage is very durable and does not lose its shape.
Well, in general, the duck was originally created by nature as a waterfowl, and therefore each of its individual parts of the body is designed to swim on the water. Duck - feathered, gifted by nature, useful qualities. In addition to the fact that it does not sink in water, it qualitatively resists any weather conditions.
So, the bird is protected from cold water by impenetrable plumage, paws that do not respond to temperature changes, very warm fluff and subcutaneous fat, which prevent cold from penetrating to the feathered body. Plus, the air that accumulates under the layer of feathers, the air bag that all ducks have, makes the body light on the water, preventing the bird from drowning.
And some secrets...
Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:
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- discomfort when going up and down stairs;
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Now answer the question: does it suit you? Can such pain be endured? And how much money have you already "leaked" for ineffective treatment? That's right - it's time to end this! Do you agree? That is why we decided to publish an exclusive interview with professor Dikul, in which he revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, arthritis and arthrosis.
Video: Resistant ducks
