Ducks, beware

[snopes]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...,3784962.story

Before the hook-and-ladder, the Statue of Liberty and "Will you marry me?", Boise State's football program was known mostly for the blue artificial turf in Bronco Stadium.

According to legend, birds have flown into the blue turf, mistaking it for water. This has never been confirmed, although Petersen said, "We do our best to perpetuate that myth, so to speak.

"But the other day, before we leave, I walk out onto our turf and there is a dead duck laying there in the middle of our field. And I'm looking around like 'Are you kidding me?' Maybe they are still dive-bombing here. So I'm not sure, but we did have one dead on the turf the other day."

Upon hearing this, Oregon is believed to have politely ended negotiations for a home-and-home series with the Broncos.

[snopes]

"But the other day, before we leave, I walk out onto our turf and there is a dead duck laying there in the middle of our field. And I'm looking around like 'Are you kidding me?' Maybe they are still dive-bombing here.

I've both raised ducks and spent a lot of time observing ducks (the lake near our house is full of them), and I don't think I've ever seen a duck "dive-bomb" into water. If they come in from any significant height to a body of water, they fly down until they're just over the water's surface, extend their wings to check their forward motion, and gently drop feet-first into the water.

Possibly some other species of ducks might engage in "dive-bombing" behavior, but none that I've ever observed.

- snopes

[snopes]

Comment: Is it true that birds often mistake the blue football field at
Boise State University for water and die trying to dive into it

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Obviously 'often' could not describe it.

[Broken Sword]

Originally Posted by snopes

I've both raised ducks and spent a lot of time observing ducks (the lake near our house is full of them), and I don't think I've ever seen a duck "dive-bomb" into water. If they come in from any significant height to a body of water, they fly down until they're just over the water's surface, extend their wings to check their forward motion, and gently drop feet-first into the water.

Possibly some other species of ducks might engage in "dive-bombing" behavior, but none that I've ever observed.

There's a whole family of "diving ducks", but all the ones I'm aware of dive from the water's surface, not from the air.

Other species of fish-eating birds dive into the water from the air...perhaps that's where the legends started.

[Assilem Brandywine]

This reminds me of a joke:

Two rednecks decide to go duck hunting together. So, they go to a pond, but since they're in Texas in the middle of a dry spell, the pond doesn't have any water in it. One of the rednecks says "Y'know, Earl, ducks ain't that smart. I bet if we spread a blue tarp over the pond, the ducks'll think it's water and come land on it!" Earl thinks this is a good idea and gets the tarp from his pick-up. They spread the tarp out, hide behind some reeds and wait for the ducks. Two ducks show up and fly down for a landing. Just before they get into rifle range, the ducks start laughing and fly off. Two more ducks show up, but before they get close enough, they fly away laughing. After this happens a third time, Earl says "Bubba, why don't you go out there and see what those ducks think is so damn funny?" Bubba comes out of the reeds for a better look. He comes back laughing. Earl asks "What was so funny?"
"Two Aggies are out there trying to fish!"

[snopes]

At Boise State University, where the color of the football turf mirrors that of a deep-blue pond, the curious seek to confirm tales of water-seeking birds diving to feathery deaths on the stadium surface -- yarns just plausible enough to keep a myth alive.

"I can neither confirm nor deny," says university Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier, tongue planted firmly in cheek.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...2437261.column

[crocoduck_hunter]

Originally Posted by Broken Sword

There's a whole family of "diving ducks", but all the ones I'm aware of dive from the water's surface, not from the air.

Other species of fish-eating birds dive into the water from the air...perhaps that's where the legends started.

Yeah, but most, if not all, diving birds aim at a target, they don't just go randomly diving into whatever pool of water they happen to see.

[geminilee]

There is also the fact that water is almost never blue. It is a lot of shades but very rarely that bright blue.

[crocoduck_hunter]

Originally Posted by geminilee

There is also the fact that water is almost never blue. It is a lot of shades but very rarely that bright blue.

And most birds have better color vision than humans do.