Many animals live in and around bodies of water . Take ducks , for example . Ducks love the water . You can often see them floating happily on the surface of lakes , creeks , rivers and ponds . Ducks swim effortlessly in all kinds of weather . Feathers protect them and other birds against the cold . Ducks are great hunters . You can watch them diving down under the water for food , with their bottoms and webbed feet sticking up in the air . Ducks often live near water . This is where they mate and lay their eggs . So , you could say that ducks really know water . In nature , they are water experts . This brings us to our first expression : to take to something like a duck to water . This means you are really good at something without even trying very hard . It is not a struggle for you at all . It is almost as if you were born to do it . And you really enjoy it . For example , the first time the boy got on a bicycle he rode surprisingly well . You could say he took to biking like a duck to water . When my friend told me that she wanted to start rock climbing , I worried about her . Rock climbing can be a difficult and even dangerous sport . But she has taken to rock climbing like a duck to water ! Now , she's even competing in rock climbing competitions . So that is our first duck and water idiom . The next one also describes something easy with "duck " and "water ." When something is like water off a duck's back , it is no big deal . Whatever has happened has had no lasting effect on the duck or anyone else . This expression comes from the fact that duck feathers are waterproof . They let water run off a duck's body . The feathers are perfectly designed because the birds spend so much time in the water . In English , we use this saying when talking about something that has happened to someone , but the person doesn't seem to care . They are not bothered at all . Now , the opposite of that expression is to ruffle someone's feathers . This means the person is really unhappy about something , just as ducks would be if you ruffled , or messed up , their waterproof feathers . Take my friend Chuck , for example . You can say anything to him and he will not get upset . Nothing seems to ruffle his feathers . Everything just rolls off of his back . A more formal way to say this is Chuck maintains his composure . If you lose your composure , you have let a situation upset you … or ruffle your feathers . Now , let's hear two friends use some of these duck , water and feather expressions . So , I've been hanging out with Hope more these days and I really like her . I like Hope too ! Things that would upset most people , just don't affect her at all . Most things are like water off a duck's back . And that's such a great personality trait . I have a couple of friends whose feathers are easily ruffled . If the littlest thing goes wrong … they get very upset . Such a pain ! Oh , and another great thing about Hope , she'll try anything ! Last weekend we went golfing together even though she'd never been before . And we had so much fun ! Isn't it difficult to golf with someone who's never golfed before ? But she took to the game like a duck to water . In fact , she made shots that took me months to learn ! Didn't that ruffle your feathers -- you know , the fact that she was better than you ? Not at all ! For me , anything that happens on the golf course is like water off a duck's back . I just golf to spend time outdoors and get a little exercise .