1) How long can a duck stand on one leg? A flamingo? Why do they do it? 2) Forensics of homicide by duck

Factual Questions
1

A two parter:

I
1
Setting in NYC: On a small ornamental rock, rock shaped with no distinct plateau and a promontory a little over two two duck widths, two mallards–male (?) they both had that stripe–sun themselves daily. One of them stands on one leg for a certain amount of time. I don’t thing he does that when in full laid-back mode, which I define as tucking in their head under a wing.

a) How long can they do that? I don’t mean in the physiologically determined Guinness Book of Records, but generally how long under still winds? Similarly, for Flamingos. Is it precisely because of the generally uneven surface of the rock?

b) More importantly, why? Here some anatomical questions occur to me which make the practice inefficient for the organism. Unlike horses, eg, to distribute the weight efficiently they must center the leg under its mass, putting undue stress on its thigh joint. (Knowing that a duck adducts is worth this entire OP.) It can’t be for temporary relief of cold.

[My knowledge of flamingo anatomy is limited to memory of pictures of Florida and old cartoons about childbirth.]

II
More speculative: Possible treatments for a movie with screenplay by Poe, directed by Hitchcock, produced by Buñuel, executive produced by Spielberg, with technial advice by CSI: Avian Division:

The premise(s): A man is found dead in a room either surrounded by a dead duck, a live duck, living or dead groups of ducks, or feathers which proved the ducks did it. The medical examiner must hazard an estimate of manner and time of death.

Assume that duck or ducks are of average intelligence and very very hungry. Sepsis and exsanguination are suspected.

The man is pinioned hands and feet spreadeagled on the floor. One scenario he has his eyes protected with a little sunbather thingie, a different swcenario not.

Another scenario he is intubated with a duck-proof apparatus for ventilation and nutrition and is essentially alive until ducked to death.

Either one duck or limitless ducks to fill a suburban basement, with replacements as necessary.

Time of death? Manner of death? Of ducks and or victim?

2

Addition to above: Suffocation is possible, I guess, in the mass-duck scenario. But the room has to have enough space for ducks to waddle and flutter around.

3

What the actual duck?

4

They would immediately suspect fowl play.

5

I think the question in the second part is “By what means could a group of one or more ducks kill a human”?

6

Because if they lifted the second leg, they’d fall down?

Sorry I do not have the specific answer at my fingertips, but I remember reading explanations of why it made sense. I’d imagine you could Google an answer, and I imagine someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly.

7

For the duck homicide, I was thinking at least the following data are required:

Tensile strength of skin : 604 N/cm:

Tensile properties of cornea (a more difficult viscoelastic problem, and I do not understand the analysis, but:

The penetration force determined by the configuration of the duck bill and force aqvailable from a duck neck:
?

The life span of a starving dehydrated duck (ie, forensics similar to examination of maggots and worms):
?

Another question: only after pondering all of the above, interestingly (to me), it occurred to me that there’s an expression, I think, “being pecked to death by ducks.” Is there?

The scenarion in limited aspects is no different than examining how a person dies by the so-called Chinese water-torture.

8

Do the ducks (or duck) have any martial arts training?

9

Is #Colibri still around? He was always the avian maven (heh) par excellence around here and might have something to add…

10

Alas, no.

11

May his memory be a blessing.

12

If only you had asked about crows…

13

What I learned in a long-ago ornithology class is that the one-legged stance is intended to warm a cold foot, one at a time. Bird legs, lacking in fat and feathers, are not insulated. No idea how long they can hold the position, though. They do switch feet occasionally.

14

In the case of a solitary murder duck, it would probably be a Muscovy. Warty head, hooked point on the beak, sharp claws, prone to demonic possession. We had some when I was a kid.
Means: Bite and claw you until you bleed out.
Motive: He don’t need no frickin’ motive. He’s a Muscovy!

15

A Muscovy duck put senior master sergeant Wilmer Neumann in the hospital.

A Muscovy duck gave Will Maki a concussion!

16

Nibbled to death by ducks is the way I’ve heard it. When I tried Google it even came up as a book title (Aha!) but then when I tried ‘pecked’ that came to with another of its own (Nuts).

Of course, Londo and Vir are useless about the subject.

17

I don’t have ducks or flamingos, but I am owned by parrots. My guys will stand on one foot when they’re relaxes/comfortable/feeling safe, even dozing while standing on one leg. While they might be wanting to warm a foot, they also seem to do it to rest that foot/leg and after awhile will switch which leg is up/down.

Why do they do that? Same reason(s) we shift position and posture I’d guess.

18

Sickened by e-coli, salmonella or other pathogen?

19

The ducks are of course covered in duck down and feathers. A great insulator.
They need only completely cover the victim with their bodies and and have him die of overheating.
A duck roast.

20

They can lock the articulation, so don’t expense energy for standing contrary to us. Same for chicken that lock on a branch and sleep without falling.