Fact check: Do duck penises fall of after copulation?

1. Summary of the results

The claim that duck penises fall off after copulation is definitively false. Instead, duck penises undergo a remarkable seasonal transformation where they:

• Grow significantly during breeding season, reaching lengths of up to 40cm ^[1]
• Retract and shrink dramatically during non-breeding seasons ^[2]
• Regrow from a smaller base the following year ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question overlooks several fascinating aspects of duck reproductive biology:

• Duck penises are corkscrew-shaped and can grow up to 18cm long during breeding season ^[3]
• They are supported by lymph rather than blood or muscle ^[4]
• The entire reproductive process takes less than half a second ^[4]
• There are differences between wild and domesticated ducks - domesticated ducks show less dramatic seasonal changes in their genitalia ^[2]
• The penis isn't always externally visible as it can retract into the body during non-breeding seasons ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The misconception about duck penises falling off likely stems from:

• The dramatic nature of the size change, which could be misinterpreted as the organ being lost entirely ^[2]
• The fact that the penis isn't always visible externally, which might lead to incorrect assumptions about it falling off ^[5]

This kind of misinformation could potentially benefit:

• Wildlife documentaries and sensationalist media outlets seeking attention-grabbing headlines
• Those who might want to oversimplify complex biological processes for entertainment value

The reality, as confirmed by experts like Dr. Brennan, is that this is a complex biological process of growth and reduction rather than a case of appendage loss ^[2].