Warty duck Frieda
in search of a duck family
Frieda was handed in because the partner duck had died and the owners did not want to buy another duck. Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf still had one free place in the duck and goose houses by the small pond near the deer enclosure.
The mallard is a robust animal, it is resilient and knows what it wants. It is said that ducks and geese are always chattering and that the loud chattering can go right through your bones.
“I don’t quack. I’m a mallard and I don’t quack. I don’t quack either. When my partner died, I was even quieter than usual. Yes, I too, Frieda, a mallard, am grieving,”said Frieda confidently.
Frieda has been living in the second house of the duck and goose houses by the small pond for a few months now. She has settled in well and sometimes waddles around the courtyard alone or in company.
“But there is also so much to see and learn here. For example, I’ve learnt that I don’t have to be afraid of dogs here. There are people here who have dogs on a lead. Before a dog could possibly catch me, I’m already gone. I’m a clever mallard. You should also know that not a single duck or goose in the world is stupid. You humans sometimes call yourselves “silly goose”. I can’t understand that. As I said, we are not stupid and go through life with our heads held high!”.
Frieda has found a particularly good friend in our Cinderella. Cinderella is a barnacle goose and also lives in the wooden hut by the pond.
“Frieda was sad when she was handed in. At first she waddled around on her own, and at some point I “chattered” at her. We decoy geese are very good at chattering. Since she’s been here, we’ve been looking for our grasses and herbs in the front garden of the human-animal chapel together every day, as well as bugs and worms. We get on very well. It’s great that Frieda is here!”.
There are some very interesting friendships among the animals that live on the Gut Aiderbichl farms. Frieda, for example, has now also become a friend of the Austro-Hungarian Baroque donkeys thanks to Cinderella.
These Baroque donkeys – Sophie and her foals Andi and Emely – came to Gut Aiderbichl from Burgenland together with the geese.
Cinderella tells Frieda “The owner of us Lockengänsen and the Barockesel had her lease in Burgenland on the border with Hungary cancelled. We were all very sad at the time and the woman cried terribly when she had to give us up. But as you can see, Frieda. Everything will be fine here. I want to stay your friend as long as we live!”.
Frieda has her friend and lots of other animals to waddle around the yard with. If you are looking for Frieda: her feathers from her head to her chest are snow-white. Her back is black all the way to her tail feathers, with a few white feathers on the left and right. We wish her a long, healthy life together with Cinderella and all the other rescued animals from Gut Aiderbichl.
