Mallards at Carrollton’s Woodlake Pond. Notice the unusual stance the ducks take when in repose. I did a quick Google search to see if I could discover why Mallards sleep standing on one foot with their heads turned backwards. None of the answers I found were very satisfying, but the ones I judged to be the best seemed to suggest that it was a warmth conversation strategy. A duck’s bill and feet are unfeathered. Keeping them close to the body and/or under the cover of feathers could slow heat loss through these uninsulated appendages.
Observation Details
| County | – | Denton |
|
| City | – | Carrollton | |
| Date | – | Nov 13, 2011 | |
| Time of Day | – | Midmorning | |
| Temperature | – | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | – | Clear | |
| Habitat | – | Recreation-Park | |
| Type of Behavior | – | Resting | |
| Gender | – | Mixed | |
| Maturity | – | Adult | |
| Observer | – | Chris Jackson |
