Well, as you may know, this account has highlighted the Very Important Scientific Knowledge imparted by the stone martens that brought down the Large Hadron Collider.
…and you may also have seen the equally vital findings from the man who tried to swallow the wrong type of fish while shitfaced.
The animals involved now reside at the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam in their Dead Animal Tales exhibition, and today is 5 June, which means we can at last celebrate its historic founding exhibit.
Yes, it is 28 years since Kees Moeliker witnessed “the first case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard” when a duck flew into the glass wall of his museum, dying instantly — but, as you may have surmised by now, violent death was not the final indignity visited upon it.
In 2001, Kees published a paper about the incident, which began by saying that this wasn’t the first bird rendered bereft of life in this way. “During the first months after the new wing was erected … a ‘bang’ … on the window meant work for the bird department”.
At first, at least, this case was no different…
This bird was not alone, though
“Rather startled”, Kees wrote, “I watched this scene from close quarters behind the window”. He did this for an hour and a quarter, during which time Duck 2 “almost continuously copulated” with Duck 1. Yes, ‘almost’. It took breaks.
Kees “secured the dead duck and left the museum at 19.25 h. The mallard was still present at the site, calling ‘raeb-raeb’ and apparently looking for his victim (who, by then, was in the freezer)”. The resourceful museum director also took photos.
![the same couple during copulation, two minutes after photo a was taken. [photos: C.W. Moeliker]](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/format:webp/1*Tp0qZB1og6fVc3zfNMRtbg.png)
In 2003, the paper won an Ig Nobel prize — recognising “achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think” — because it adds to what we know about ducks, who are, shall we say, not big on informed consent.
This behaviour has been known in same-sex duck pairs, too, as detailed in a 1999 book, which I confess I have not read myself. This, though, was the first time one of the ‘participants’ had been actually dead.
Yes, this does remind me of knowledge I have gleaned from a different scientist about another species — with apologies to anyone who did not already know the truth about these sweet*, furry creatures.
(*in appearance only)
Anyway, on 5 June 1996, Kees marked the inaugural Dead Duck Day, and it became a tradition — as seen in these library images.
There has been a hiatus since 2019 because of bloody Covid, so at 17.55 local time today, the first one for four years is due.
Kees will get the duck out of its case, greet the crowd, summarise recent findings of remarkable animal behaviour, read out a special message from a fellow scientist, and discuss new ways to prevent birds from colliding with glass buildings.
Then the gathered people (and the stuffed duck) move to a local restaurant called Tai Wu for a six-course duck dinner.
Obviously.
In 2013, they also unveiled a memorial plaque in the form of a splat where the duck hit the glass (plus a sign below telling the story).
…which means that today is also the 10th anniversary of that ‘plaque’. And that about rounds it up. There’s more about the museum and its collection of dead things on its website.
Mind you, you can also read about The Homosexual Necrophiliac Duck Opera inspired by the story, which premiered in 2014.
…and that report also contains a link to Kees’ TED talk, which you’ll be pleased to hear includes a photo of the dead duck’s penis, which he took at the time in order to confirm its sex.
You really are most welcome.
