In Switzerland, a mallard duck was in for a quacking good time. Or rather, it was nailed by a speed trap in the municipality of Köniz, which is adjacent to Bern! On 13 April, an individual photographed a miracle paint the great blue heron landscape. It flew at an astonishing 52 kilometers per hour speed, far exceeding the 30-kilometer-per-hour speed limit in that zone!
This recent sighting is especially interesting for a possible second offense. We had a similarly shaped duck shot in the same spot, by the same velocity, on the same day a week seven years prior to the date of today. The municipality of Köniz shared this heartwarming tale on their Facebook feed. It almost immediately became the most popular thing with residents and social media users ever! Our post drew attention to the duck’s extraordinary burst of speed as well as its strange relationship to the past tragic event.
The radar image picked him up through cutting-edge military technology. Specialists at Switzerland’s federal institute of metrology—weights and measures—calibrate, test, and review the equipment annually. This makes sure readers know for certain that the speed measurements are accurate, which adds credibility to the duck’s incredibly fast speed. The images captured by the radar are still under lock and key, adding a bit of mystique to this specific case.
The municipality provided information on captured duck’s speed and place of capture. They pointed out its strange behavior as this aerial acrobatics is not common for this species typically found waddling along beaches. The announcement was first reported by the Berner Zeitung newspaper. They put an extra creative spin on their tale of this feathered frolic.
Experts opine that considering its past run-ins with police, this particular mallard could very well be a career criminal. The municipality’s official announcement brings a touch of levity to the enforcement of vehicle restrictions. It serves to lightheartedly remind residents that even wildlife find themselves in comical predicaments.