🚀 go-pugleaf

bjornts@ii.uib.no (Bjoern Tore Sund) writes:
: 
: BTW, can anyone confirm what someone told me that this effect is
: actually permanent? I heard that once this fat was dissolved, it
: didn't return, so that the bird, even with proper care, was unable
: to regain it's ability to swim and to stand cold water.
:

Well, if the duck drowns, it's a permanent condition.  If not, the
duck should be able to replace the oils that waterproof the feathers.
This activity is called "preening."  Most birds have a gland (glands?)
on their rear-end that produce oil.  The bird will take oil from this
gland and rub it onto the feathers with thier beak.  At the same time,
the bird reconnects the little zipper-like structures that hold the
"branches" (can't remember the real word) of the feather together.

If the feathers themselves are actually damaged, the bird may be out
of commission until new feathers grow in.

--
Grant Edwards                                 |Yow!  Now I understand the
Rosemount Inc.                                |meaning of ``THE MOD
                                              |SQUAD''!
grante@aquarius.rosemount.com                 |