You approach the edge of a pond filled with ducks. The ducks are swimming, but when they see you, they approach the shore and congregate around you.

What might best explain this behavior?

a. The ducks are competing for territories on the shore.

b. The ducks are diurnally migrating to humans.

c. The ducks have associated people with food handouts and so they come close.

Question

Biology

Cory Bailey

7 September, 19:01

You approach the edge of a pond filled with ducks. The ducks are swimming, but when they see you, they approach the shore and congregate around you.

What might best explain this behavior?

a. The ducks are competing for territories on the shore.

b. The ducks are diurnally migrating to humans.

c. The ducks have associated people with food handouts and so they come close.

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Kaia Vincent · Answer 1

C. The ducks have associated people with food handouts and so they come close.

Animals have a fight or flight instinct but if their encounters with humans are favorable they tend to associate future encounters with humans as favorable also.

If the ducks have become used to humans enticing them to come close to the shore by giving them food, whenever they see a human, they will approach the shore and congregate around you waiting for the food handout that they have been used to.