Their feet and stance got me curious - found this:
Quote:
SHELD-DUCK
The sheld-duck is a bird of the tidal flats - the saltings - and the sand dunes. It is a large duck and in some of its habits - notably its flight - it resembles a goose rather than a duck. It nests in rabbit burrows in the sand dunes - and sometimes the nest is as much as ten feet from the entrance. During the breeding season the drake develops a large knob at the base of the bill - but by July this adornment has disappeared. The ducklings are charming in their black and white down.
|
Which explains it. Also explains why they're so big
