PR: Nature: An Original Duckumentary on Blu-ray & DVD Dec 18

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Release Date: December 17, 2012, 8:41 am
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They belong to a cast of characters more than 120 species strong, and they make their entrance decked out in feathers shimmering with a rainbow of iridescence. Their colorfully descriptive names are stage-ready - Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Pintails, Goldeneyes and Ruddies. They all play their parts, but the star of this show is the spectacular Wood Duck, whose dramatic and brightly-colored good looks would be the envy of any matinee idol. Sit back and enjoy the ride as Mr. and Mrs. Wood Duck meet, mate, and raise a family of the some of the cutest and most courageous little ducklings you're ever likely to see.

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EXPLORE THE UNIQUE ABILITIES AND EXTRAORDINARY PERSONALITIES OF DUCKS IN

Nature: An Original Duckumentary

Available on DVD and Blu-ray from PBS Distribution December 18th

Narrated by Emmy Award-Winning Actor Paul Giamatti



Arlington, Va. - November 14, 2012 - PBS Distribution today announced it is releasing Nature: An Original Duckumentary on DVD and Blu-ray. They belong to a cast of characters more than 120 species strong, and they make their entrance decked out in feathers shimmering with a rainbow of iridescence. Their colorfully descriptive names are stage-ready - Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Pintails, Goldeneyes and Ruddies. They all play their parts, but the star of this show is the spectacular Wood Duck, whose dramatic and brightly-colored good looks would be the envy of any matinee idol. Sit back and enjoy the ride as Mr. and Mrs. Wood Duck meet, mate, and raise a family of the some of the cutest and most courageous little ducklings you're ever likely to see. Watching these tiny balls of fluff jump from their nest 70 feet up in the hollow of an oak tree is only the first in a long list of surprises just waiting to amaze you - about ducks. The DVD and Blu-ray release of this program will be on December 18, 2012. The program has a run time of 60 minutes. The DVD has an SRP of $19.99, and the Blu-ray has an SRP of $24.99.

Program Synopsis
Ducks are born knowing exactly what to do and how to do it. The Wood Duck ducklings leap from their tree in response to their mother's calls, and make their two-day-old way to the nearby pond where she waits for them. Once there, they take to the water like the little ducks they are and start feeding all on their own, no instruction required. Wood Ducks are dabblers, sifting and skimming through the greenery near the surface for plants, crustaceans and larvae. Sometimes a tasty piece requires a bit more effort and they'll go head down and bottoms up to reach it. Their mother provides a watchful eye, doing her best to protect them from predators. It's a difficult job. In some years 9 out of 10 ducklings fall to predators within their first two weeks.

While "Woodies" are dabblers, other ducks are divers, finding food along rocky and sandy floors that dabbling ducks can't reach. The build of divers, like Ruddies, is decidedly different, with heavier bodies and big feet. Ruddy ducklings use their enormous feet to propel them easily down through the water to their next meal.

Body design also affects how different ducks fly. All ducks have relatively small and pointy wings, but dabbling ducks, with their small light bodies, are able to rise almost vertically into the air. Heavier diving ducks need a different technique to get airborne. They use the surface of the water as a long runway and employ a lot of flapping to get enough lift for take-off.

In mid-summer, ducks molt, dropping all their flight feathers at once. While that leaves them unable to fly at all for three or four weeks, the end result is brand new plumage, strong and beautiful, a dazzling display the males will use to go courting. Lucky male Wood Ducks will fly south with a partner for the season, and they will spend the winter strengthening their bond.

Migrating ducks travel in large, energy-efficient formations over thousands of miles. They must fly fast to stay airborne on short-stubby wings; some ducks have been clocked at almost a hundred miles an hour. But no one knows how ducks find their way. Perhaps following the magnetic fields and landmarks or guided by an innate compass, they travel along ancient routes they seem to know from birth.

Not all ducks head south in the winter. Common Goldeneyes stay far to the north fishing in food rich Arctic waters, staying toasty by virtue of their dense feathers and a blood circulation trick that keeps heat from being lost to the cold water. Common Eiders dive for protein-rich clams and mussels on a seabed far below the polar ice, then let the air in their feathers bring them effortlessly back to the surface.

After detours to take in stories of a host of other ducks of different stripes and persuasions, our story returns to the Wood Ducks. The female is tending her eggs, rotating them to keep them warm, while the male takes up his post as guard. Soon, there will be a new brood of ducklings to nurture and protect, and the timeless story will begin again. Look out below!

Nature is a production of THIRTEEN in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York's public television stations and operator of NJTV. For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

Major corporate support for Nature is provided by Canon U.S.A., Inc. Additional support is provided by the Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, the Filomen M. D'Agostino Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the nation's public television stations.

About NATURE
Nature pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry. Throughout its history, Nature has brought the natural world to millions of viewers. The series has been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television.

Nature has won almost 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities, and environmental organizations including 10 Emmys, three Peabodys and the first award given to a television program by the Sierra Club. The series received two of wildlife film industry's highest honors: the Christopher Parsons Outstanding Achievement Award given by the Wildscreen Festival and the Grand Teton Award given by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Recently, Fred Kaufman was named the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Media by the 2012 International Wildlife Film Festival.

About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York's flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About PBS Distribution
PBS Distribution is the leading media distributor for the public television community, both domestically and internationally. Jointly owned by PBS (Arlington, VA) and WGBH (Boston, MA), PBS Distribution extends the reach of public television programs beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system and our production partners.

PBS Distribution offers a diverse range of programming to our customers, including Ken Burns's films (Prohibition, The National Parks, The War, Baseball, Jazz), documentaries from award-winning series NOVA (The Elegant Universe, Origins), FRONTLINE (God in America, Bush's War, Growing Up Online), and American Experience (Freedom Riders, We Shall Remain), dramas from Masterpiece (Downton Abbey, Jane Eyre, Inspector Lewis), films from independent producers (Easy Yoga for Arthritis, The Buddha, The Story of India, Carrier, Journey into Buddhism, I.O.U.S.A.), and popular children's programming from Dinosaur Train, Super Why!, WordGirl, Cyberchase, Martha Speaks, and Arthur. As a multi-channel distributor, PBS Distribution pursues wholesale/retail sales, consumer and educational sales through PBS- branded catalogs and online shops, and international broadcast and video sales. PBS distribution is also a leader in offering programming through digital platforms including the internet, mobile, and web-connected television.

Nature: An Original Duckumentary
Street Date: December 18, 2012
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: 60 Minutes
SRP: DVD, $19.99 and Blu-ray, $24.99
Format: DVD and Blu-ray

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News Editor December 17, 2012, 8:41 am