Crazy Music, Crazy Ducks

We all know ducks can swim because of that coating of oil on their feathers. But did you know that music can be hazardous to duck health? Read on to learn more.

A duck farmer in Zhejiang province recently discovered that at least 700 of his ducks were jumping and shaking like crazy. Some even “danced” themselves to death. He quickly realized that the dancing frenzy had only started after the new neighbors moved in and started blaring "fast-paced DJ and rock & roll music" every night. After the police stepped in to mediate the situation, the neighbors agreed to lower the volume. Unfortunately, the farmer didn’t get any compensation for the poultry he'd lost, since disturbing the peace (of ducks) is not really illegal.

We here at the Beijinger have decided that we can best help out the duck farmer by maintaining a high demand for duck meat. And that means eating lots of roast ducks. We are in Beijing, after all – the city of ducks! As you may already know, Beijing's basketball team is cheekily named after the iconic crisp-skinned dish. You also might have heard that the team claimed their first-ever CBA championship title last Friday!

If you’re thinking about celebrating our city's win by finding a restaurant that serves fantastic duck dishes, check out our readers’ opinions on where to eat the best duck.

If you’re at Da Dong, Duck de Chine or Quanjude and pondering why ducks get to float while other fowl don’t, try asking the waiters or even the chef. They may give you some pretty surprising answers. Finally, if you've been considering breeding ducks, please keep in mind that your feathered flock may not share your taste in music.

Photo: Flickr user Andyofne