Summary
A duck dives and pops up bone dry. Deep Look zooms in on the tiny hooks and grooves in duck feathers — and the preening that keeps them working — to reveal how the bird stays warm and waterproof.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A duck's feathers zip together with microscopic hooks and are kept oiled by preening. That structure traps air and sheds water, so the duck stays warm even underwater.
- What about a feather's structure keeps water from soaking in?
- Why is staying dry important for a bird that lives on cold water?
- What job does preening do to keep the feathers working?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: feather, waterproof, preen, structure.
Try it: Drip water on a waxy leaf and on paper. Which sheds water? Write how a duck's feather is more like the waxy leaf.