"In this introduction to a bird whose distinctive silhouette is known the world over, Victoria de Rijke both explores the natural history of the duck and reveals the striking universality of a bird that has been present in culture from fable to table for millennia. The natural history includes migration and navigation, habitat and feeding, sociability and sexual behavior. The duck's place in human culture ranges from foodstuff to bathtub toy, from children's tales to cartoons. Old Master paintings by Dutch, Flemish and other artists that feature duck hunts or dead ducks ready for the kitchen table remind us that this bird's leading predator is, of course, man. Duck is a leading ingredient in Chinese cuisine, and in many others too; duck liver is the protected foie gras of France. But the author also shows us the prominent place the duck has in human language and metaphor, especially in the vibrant phrases and fables of street slang and folk wisdom."--Jacket.