De Anza’s fountain-dwelling ducks and geese have returned to De Anza’s fountain after a long hiatus of several years. The birds were exiled due to California’s severe drought, as the fountains were not maintained, and only returned when the De Anza groundskeepers turned the main quad’s fountain back on.

“They soothe me,” Tan Tran, a 21, business administration major, said. “They give me the sensation that the animals are having a great time on their own. They’re living freely, on their own terms.”

The waterfowl regularly get attention from students passing by, who take the time to stop and take pictures of them. However, Jiayi Zhang, 18, computer science major, isn’t the biggest fan of the ducks.

“They’re so cute, but I don’t want to stay with them though,” Zhang said.

The ducks and geese are surprisingly unafraid of people, bravely making their way up to students who seem like they promise food.

The mallards can be seen wading in the main quad’s fountain, or resting on the fountain’s nearby platform. Some students have been spotted feeding the mallards as they waddle throughout the main quad. On hot days they can be seen resting in the fountain’s shade.