duck Archives - British Waterfowl Association

Pal-Mates … weekend web tip

Morag Jones — Fri, 13 May 2022 07:34:11 +0000

V is for vitelline membrane. This is a gossamer-fine, multi layered, protein membrane separating the yolk from the white (albumen) in the egg. The fine twisted cord seen in the tweezer is one of the chalazae, holding the yolk in position. The developing embryo is attached to this membrane and floats to the surface — one of the reasons we turn the eggs first one way then the other. If we always turn them in the same direction, the chalazae winds up into a knot.

The vitelline membrane separates the yolk from the white.

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Pal-Mates — weekend web tip

Morag Jones — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 10:15:24 +0000

M is for Motherhood and Muscovy.

As a broody duck, nothing can match the Muscovy. She’s a big bird, but able to be gentle and diligent. Despite looking fierce, with warty red caruncles around their faces, Muscovies are usually a quiet breed.

The wild Muscovy, Cairina moschata, originates in South America and is a mainly black bird with a white wing patch. Domesticated before the start of the Common Era, the Muscovy is the only domestic breed not to be descended from the Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos.

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Spanish Marbled Duck numbers recovering

Morag Jones — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 20:50:43 +0000

It is nice to have good news for a change. It seems the numbers of Marbled Ducks breeding in Spain are rising after a decade of serious decline. Read the full report from BirdGuides here.

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