One of the things I learned in ornithology that astounded me is that ducklings talk to each other when they are still in the egg. They start breathing a day or two before they hatch, when they break through the membrane into the airspace at the blunt end of the egg (next time you eat a hard-boiled egg you can see the airspace and membrane as you peel the egg). Then they can can vocalize.
Our ornithology textbook described how slower developing chicks can communicate with the more developed ones so they can synchronize their hatching out. I find that so amazing! Phoebe took a video of Cuban whistling ducks in the process of hatching and you can hear them peeping to each other. She posted it to her blog on the WWT website:
http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/slimbridge/phoebes-duck-diary/chatty-cubans-during-hatch
Before I ever met a whistling duck I fell in love with them for their alert, erect posture, bright disposition , whistling call, gregarious nature and their endearing habit of preening each other. There are several types of whistling ducks here at Slimbridge. Their enthusiastic-sounding calls always make be smile. We have only one lone whistling duck that I know of on Kauai. I like to visit him/her when I have time driving to Lihue and think what a sad lot it is to be the only one of your species around.
I hope you enjoy Phoebe's video!
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