ONU's Other Mascot

If you attend Ohio Northern University or have ever set foot on campus you might have noticed that we have a lot of ponds. With the ponds come ducks, geese and even a few swans. They are infamous and have found a way to hiss into our hearts. So much so that I have even heard a speech about them. They have their own dedicated twitter account, and everyone sheds a small tear when they go away in the winter. They are an ONU icon.

I remember the day I moved in freshman year my RA commented that she would sometimes let bits of food get stale so she would just have to feed it to the birds at the pond beside our complex. I quickly learned that it was the norm to take your extra food to them. At all times throughout the day you may stumble upon someone hanging out with the birds. If you ask an ONU student or alumni chances are they probably have a story or two about them. It could be that a black swan chased them like this woman. Maybe a goose hissed them for a while. A little duck could have given them a dirty look when they ran out of food. Even if it is none of these I am sure that they have a story of some sort.

People who live in Ada stop by to feed our birds too. Once last year I ran into a mom and her children throwing bits of bread to the ducks. The kids struck up a conversation and we fed the animals together for a while. They unite the Ada and college community, you never know who you will meet and get to know.

If you stop by for a visit at ONU do yourself a favor and bring a little something for the birds around the pond. It is a great way to get outside and enjoy our beautiful campus. You might even run into me sharing my leftover popcorn with them.