This Duck has a 3D-Printed Prosthetic Foot

By Chris Gayomali

In the hierarchy of birds, ducks are simultaneously wonderful and somehow underrated. Not only do our flat-billed pals fall into the 3 percent of all birds that actually have external genitalia (duck penises are quite frightening, actually), but some North American species actually practice monogamy. (Aw.)

So it's especially great that this little fella, nicknamed Buttercup, is being given a leg up in life, so to speak. After Buttercup was rescued by the Feathered Angels Waterfowl Sanctuary, it was discovered that he was born with a deformed nub for a foot. To fix the problem, his rescuers scanned a copy of his sister Minnie's intact foot, and printed out a prosthetic for him using a 3D printer. Now, Buttercup can waddle around like a normal bird. Note how happy he is when he quacks at the 11-second mark:

(Via Boing Boing)

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