Peter Corey, aged 10, of San Francisco, California for his question:

Does a duck like rain even if he has never seen it?

Peter won a duck at a fair. Naturally he wants to know about ducks so he can make his perky little pet comfortable. So this is the problem. Do ducks go into the water because people bring them up near ponds? Do they like the rain because they learn to like it from other ducks? Or do ducks just enjoy being wet for the fun of it ‑ without being taught?

Ducks seem to enjoy water like you enjoy a merry‑go‑round.  No‑one has to teach them.  They seem to feel that water was put into the world just so that they could enjoy it.  They enjoy weedy water, muddy water, still water and rain water ‑ any water so long as it is wet.

Firs. Duck hatches her babies in a nest on dry land, But she leads them to the water as soon as they can toddle.  That's all that is needed. With noisy quacks and giggles the fluffy little fellows start swimming happily in the water. Before you know it they are doing tricks. Down to the little yellow heads and up come the little yellow tails. The ducklings are diving for dinner ‑ in the mud on the floor of the pond

Andy is sure that all ducks, big ones and little ones, love the rain. Last spring he happened to be along the Mississippi basin when the rains came. It rained and rained, The great Ohio River filled up and spilled over. The Mississippi slopped over her banks. Andy got very wet and felt very miserable about all the rain, rain, rain.

Then, all of a sudden he heard a noise ‑ a merry quack‑quacking noise. There in a muddy, over‑flowing pond were three ducks having a whale of a times They flapped their wings and quacked for joy. Andy was pleased that somebody was having such a wonderful time in the rain, even if he wasn’t.  Yes, ducks definitely have fun in rainy weather. Don’t their lily‑white feathers get wet? Not at all. For as you know, water runs right off a duck'‑s back. The rain cannot wet him. The muddiest pond does not dirty his glossy feathers.

Watch him preen himself and you will understand why he nibbles around his tail. For there is where he keeps a supply of oil. The oil is made by special glands. He gets this oil onto his bill. Then he nibbles at each and all of his feathers. They become coated with a thin film of oil. And, since water runs off an oily surface, it runs off  a duck.

We do hear of pet ducks who never go near the water. They enjoy life, for ducks are usually cheerful fellows. Maybe Peter plans to keep his duck a dry duck. But don't be surprised if he quacks and yaps to get outdoors when he sees the raindrops patter down the window panes.