They are animals that feel the cold much less than we do, they adapt. But… there are times when it’s better to go back inside.
Os ducks feel cold, Yes. They feel much less than humans, in many situations, but they also feel.
And why do they feel less? Because they have adaptations very effective in the cold.
As waterproof feathers They are “fluffy” underneath: on the outside they have feathers that repel water, underneath they have down that traps air and works as thermal insulation.
Yours subcutaneous fat helps conserve heat, especially in species more accustomed to cold climates.
And they have a kind of “anti-loss” system in the paws: the legs and feet have little muscle and little thermal sensitivity, compared to other areas, and there is a heat exchange mechanism between arteries and veins; less heat loss to water or ice.
As reinforced by , ducks are able to regulate the temperature of their feet through the exchange of heat in countercurrent. Translation: when a duck’s feet come into contact with a cold surface, its body uses countercurrent heat exchange to lower the temperature of the blood going to the feet. This process occurs in the legs, where arterial blood is cooled by venous blood, which in turn heats up a few degrees.
And it really works: in mallard ducks, only 5% of their total body heat escapes through their feet.
When it’s really cold, it’s common to see: ducks curling up and ruffling their feathers, putting their beaks and heads in their feathers while becoming “rounder”, having one leg retracted to have less contact with the cold ground, escaping the wind, using less energy, or simply changing location.
And speaking of moving places, this video comes from Belarus:
Nope!
We feel you duckies 😢
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv)
Forecast for Minsk, capital of Belarus, for next Monday: 21 degrees… below zero.
Nuno Teixeira da Silva, ZAP //
