Is the Looney Tune character Daffy Duck based in reality? The overall physical characteristics of black feathers, orange webbed feet, and white ring are not found in one species in nature, but his shovel shaped bill is. That prominent feature, which contributes to his unique speech pattern, builds the case for Daffy being classified as a Northern Shoveler.
Anting is a bizarre inter-species ritual of birds and ants that results in a beneficial dose of formic acid for the birds. We explore why 200 different kinds of birds worldwide have been caught in the act of anting.