This image proves ducks can recognize someone they know from more than 100 yards away. When I first started coming to the Brighton millpond, I talked with Faith, a devotee of the domestic ducks dumped at the pond and noticed ducks swimming toward her. I asked what was going on and she stated, “They know me.” I thought it was nonsense at the time. It wasn’t. The ducks recognize me even though I wear different hats and coats. Maybe it’s my backpack. I wear it winter and summer.
I think they know our faces. I had a scarf over my nose and mouth during a walk about 3 wks ago, and none of them gave me a second look, until I took the scarf off, then they mobbed me as usual. I had forgotten to tell you about that incident. It was weird.
That’s interesting, Wanda. I’m going to have to cover my face like a bandit and see if they still know me. Seems it would be difficult for them to recognize us from 100 yards away. Maybe they start with things like my backpack until they get close enough to see faces. I know birds of prey like eagles have vision much better than ours, but I’d never heard that about ducks. Come to think of it though, they would need good vision when they are flying or they’d run into things.