what makes a duck float

                                                                                                                                         

What makes a duck float?                                                           FEATHER COATINGS

   Well it is  very interesting every duck has a oil  gland also known as a  uropygial gland. It is located near the end of the tail. This gland secrets a special oily substance which the duck spreads over its whole body using its bill. The oil coats its feathers making them water proof. Without it the the feathers would absorb water making them significantly heavier- it would be like you swimming in the water with all of your cloths on! This water resistance also allows ducks to stay warm in cold waters as the feathers repel cold water and keep it away from the skin.                                                                               INTERLOCKING FEATHERS. Ducks feathers help them float not only by repelling water but also by trapping air the feathers have tiny barbs which allow them to stick together like Velcro. This creates a balloon like effect trapping air between the feathers and skin and those air bubbles add to the natural boancy of the duck. Ducks can release those air bubbles at will which allows them to invert their bodies and submerge their heads while still bobbing at the surface.                                                Hollow bones 

like most other fowl ducks have hollow bones that make it capable for them to fly if their bones were as heavy as humans then then they would  be much to heavy to fly. Their lightweight also makes it easier for them to float but not at the expense of strength this is because there bones are not hollow like a drinking straw but rather are rather filled with cross hatched woven bone materiel that gives them stability without much weight.                       BUOYANT BODIES.  When you hold your breath your body floats more easily because the trapped air gives it buoyancy. Ducks are able to float for a long time because of this principle but without holding their breath this is because their body is equipped with Internal air sacs that store air like balloons. Making them extremely buoyant without affecting their ability to breath.