Ducks Do not Get Wet

Ducks Don't Get Wet

野鸭的羽毛不会湿

Ducks are water birds. All day long they go in and out of the water. In and out, in and out.

野鸭是一种水鸟。 它们整天在水里进进出出，一会儿在水里，一会儿在岸上。

No matter how many times they go into the water, ducks don't get wet. Ducks are waterproof.

可是，不管下水多少次，野鸭的身子都不会湿，因为它们的羽毛是防水的。

Every duck is waterproof because it has an oil gland nearits tail. With its broad bill, the duck strokes this oil gland. Thenit smears the oil over its feathers. This is called preening.

每次野鸭的羽毛都能防水。野鸭先用扁扁的缘啄尾巴附近的尾脂腺，再把喙上的油脂涂抹到羽毛上，这叫整羽。

Ducks spend hours preening themselves. That is how they keep their feathers coveredwith oil. Their feathers do not get wet because oiland water do not mix. Water rolls right offthe oily feathers.

野鸭每天花好几个小时整理羽毛，好让全身都涂满了油脂，油脂和水不相溶，因此野鸭的羽毛就不会浸湿。水溅到上面，马上就滑落下来。

Ducks spend most of their time in the water. They splash around in puddles and ponds, in swampsand shallow streams.

野鸭大部分时间都在水里。它们在水洼、池塘、沼泽或浅溪中戏水。