What goes into a bird’s name change? It turns out – a lot! A change was recently announced affecting one of our regular patients at International Bird Rescue: the Cattle Egret, now Western Cattle Egret.
With the excitement surrounding the release of the new Migration movie, we’d like to share some fun facts about Mallards and the other duck species we care for at International Bird Rescue.
It’s a common myth that the waxy substance from a bird’s uropygial, or “preen”, gland is what makes feathers waterproof. This is not the case. While the waxy secretion is vital for the long-term health and maintenance of each feather, it is the remarkable physical structure of the feather itself that makes feathers waterproof.