AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Ducks have webbed feet, i.e., their toes are joined together by a thin flap of skin. These help them to swim easily in water. The feathers on the body of ducks are covered with an oily layer to make them waterproof.

Detailed explanation-2: -Ducks have adapted to their water-based habitats by having webbed feet which help them travel through water most effectively. Ducks also have an oily coating on their feathers to make them waterproof, regulate temperature and keep them light as they are not weighed down by being waterlogged.

Detailed explanation-3: -A duck’s webbed feet are an example of a structural adaptation. Though not initially necessary for life, the ancestor of ducks who developed the mutation for webbed feet were more successful swimmers.

Detailed explanation-4: -Ducks and geese have them, as do gulls, cormorants, loons, pelicans, penguins, puffins and boobies. Experiments suggest that a triangular webbed foot is beautifully designed to propel a bird, or other creature, through the water. The toes and webs spread out as the bird pushes its foot backward.