Why does a duck swim: what helps not to get wet in the water and interesting features

The expression "get out of the water" is familiar to everyone. The figurative meaning of the phrase is understandable, but an ordinary duck can become a living personification of the direct! These birds, even after a long swim, come ashore, as if after a beauty salon. The plumage lies evenly, it is dry and clean. How do the feathered do it? Why a duck, clumsy on land, swims and dives so masterfully, for sure, many thought. To understand this, you need to take a closer look at the bird.

Why waterfowl feathers don't get wet

The plumage of birds that live near water bodies is covered with a thin layer of fat. It protects the body from getting wet. Fat also retains heat. Water flows down the back, starting from the head, if the duck emerges and swims, in such a way that it does not seep through the dense feather layer.

Birds clean up after every bath to renew the protective layer on their feathers. Near the tail of all feathered waterfowl there is a special gland that produces grease. Ducks grab it with their beak and carefully rub it into the plumage. Muscle fibers lift the pen shafts. From the outside, it looks like a bird is shaking itself off after water procedures.

She does all these manipulations every day several times to stay afloat.

Scientists have proven that if you wash off the fat layer from a duck, it will drown, despite the lightness of the bones and the total air supply in the lungs.

Presence of membranes

The webbed feet are important adaptations for movement in and under water. The legs of ducks are short compared to other birds, but they are strong and located closer to the tail. They have three main fingers with membranes and one adnexal from the inner edge.It is essential for sustainability.

On land, the gait of a bird looks clubfoot, and ducks cannot boast of walking speed. Their legs stand upright, when viewed from the front - beveled towards the center. When running on such limbs, the feathered one can even fall on its chest due to poor balance. In water, the legs are at an angle to the surface. It is thanks to their size and muscle strength that the bird can quickly pick up speed, turn and brake.

In fact, the whole feathered body turns into a boat, and paws into a motor. The streamlined body shape and flattened head contribute to the development of excellent maneuverability.

Plumage

It is known that ducks can stay in icy water for a long time and move calmly in the snow. Some species even sleep right on the waves with their heads under their wings. There is no mystery in this, it's all about a special feather layer.

Dense fluff is covered with thick feathers. A sufficient layer of warm air remains between them. Plus, the top stays are oil-lubricated and windproof.

Interesting Features

Along with everything else, these funny birds have a number of unusual differences:

The paws of ducks do not freeze even in frost, because there are simply no blood vessels and nerve endings
Waterfowl hold an air sac on the surface, which, when diving, pushes the air to the back so that the beak and chest sink.
Third eyelid protects duck eyes from debris in muddy water.
Ducks can dive directly from the surface of the water, while most other birds dive from a height to do this.
When diving, birds regulate depth and speed with their wings and moving tail.
They are able to dive for 7-13 minutes if they are chasing prey. The average swimming speed is 1 m/s.
During the molt, ducks try to be less in the pond, because there is a risk of losing heat and wet renewing feathers.
The subcutaneous layer of fat also serves as a float and warms the birds in the cold.