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Re: Ducks at Duke Garden



On Mon, 13 Mar 2000 08:28:00 -0500 (EST)
 Jeff Pippen <jspippen@duke.edu> wrote:
> Larry and others,
> 
> Sorry to disappoint you, but most of the Duke Gardens birds are not 
> "wild" birds.

Actually two of the Hooded Mergansers are wild. A male and the female arrived
back in December, they left when the pond was mostly frozen during the snow, but
returned soon after the thaw. They have frequented the pond on and off each
winter for the last three years and usually stay until the middle of April. I
guess that after three years they are pretty used to humans as a source of food.
They are also smart and realize that fish are attracted by the bread too. 

Jim Bloor, Ph.D
Department of Cell Biology,
Duke University Medical Center,
DUMC Box 3709,
307 Nanaline Duke Building,
Research Drive,
Durham, NC 27710-7599.

tel.   (919) 681-8080
fax.   (919) 684-5481
email  j.bloor@cellbio.duke.edu