Freezing is a risk that many animals run in extreme climates, which can die when trapped if any part of their body freezes under these conditions.
This duck has a very important part of its body: the beak, which is used to eat, drink and communicate, among many other essential functions for the bird.
“I thought I was bad with my frozen face, when I saw this female duck on the river. At first I was worried that she couldn’t breathe or eat, but fortunately I saw that she could open her mouth,” comments the photographer who documented the event.
“He was shaking his head and scratching at the ice, and I guess he was trying to get rid of it. Finally she stuck her face under her feathers, and hopefully the ice melted,” she explains.
“I asked a few bird nerds why this happens. “They said this sometimes happens when the ducks take breaks from dipping their beaks in the water, allowing layer upon layer of water to freeze on top of each other,” the video’s author clarified.
“Another way that birds get rid of ice is to continue looking for food in the water, without taking breaks. “The water is much warmer than ice, so it wouldn’t take long to melt if it went back down into the water,” he concludes.
