Duck mothers are worried when their chicks get lost. Unlike our babies, however, there is no loud screaming to find them again. But don't worry, duck mothers have other ways to find their chicks!
Smell?
First, they use their sense of smell to locate their chicks. This may sound surprising, but birds actually have an excellent sense of smell. In addition, mother ducks rely on sounds and other visual features such as the plumage of their chicks to find them again.
Downy Camo
Chicks' plumage is a unique code that helps their mothers identify them. Ducklings have a special pattern on their feathers called downy camouflage. This camouflage helps them hide in their natural environment and escape predators. However, it is also a distinctive feature that helps mother ducks find and identify their chicks.
The pattern on the chicks' plumage can be compared to a QR code. Similar to how a QR code has a unique pattern that can be read with special technology, mother ducks can use the pattern on their chicks' feathers to identify them.
QR Technology
And like QR codes, people can also use technology to find lost items. By sticking a QR code from QR Mine on the item, a finder can scan it and contact the owner to return it.
Although ducks find their chicks in a different way than we find our lost items, we can learn from their unique method. By using technology such as QR codes, we can also go in search of our lost items in new and innovative ways.