ORLANDO, FL – August 5th 2026
A one-of-a-kind duck spotted waddling around Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando is quacking its way into viral fame, thanks to its comically oversized feet and uncanny resemblance to Disney’s iconic Donald Duck.
The bird, quickly nicknamed “Donald” by online fans, was captured on video by a visitor whose cousin shared the clip with the popular animal account @careanimalpet. In the short but captivating footage, the duck stands out dramatically among a group of ordinary mallards and other waterfowl along the park’s shoreline. Its bright orange feet appear several times larger than normal, giving it an exaggerated, cartoonish gait as it strolls and interacts with the flock.
According to the original post, the duck was born with abnormally large feet (described as macropodia) and shows signs of partial leucism combined with an extremely rare xanthochromic pigment mutation.
The result is unusually white plumage accented by faint blue feathers—creating a striking visual parallel to Donald Duck’s classic white body, blue sailor-suit tones, and famously oversized orange feet.“Honestly it actually does resemble Donald Duck lol,” the poster wrote, attaching the video that has already racked up hundreds of thousands of views, over a thousand likes, and nearly 200 reposts in just hours. Follow-up comments poured in, including one joking, “Disney needs to check their inventory, one of their ducks is loose in Orlando.”Lake Eola Park, a beloved downtown destination known for its resident swans, paddle boats, and scenic fountain, sits just a short drive from Walt Disney World—making the appearance of a real-life Donald especially fitting.
Locals and tourists alike have long enjoyed the park’s waterfowl population, but this particular bird is turning heads for all the right (and adorable) reasons.While genetic anomalies like leucism (partial loss of pigmentation) and rare color mutations occasionally appear in wild duck populations, the combination of dramatic foot size and Disney-esque coloring has proved irresistible to social media users.
The duck appears healthy, active, and fully integrated with the other birds at the lake.As the video continues to spread, fans are already calling for Disney to adopt the bird as an official mascot or at least send a costumed Donald for a meet-and-greet. Whether “Donald” becomes a permanent local celebrity or simply enjoys his moment in the spotlight, one thing is clear: in the City Beautiful, even the ducks can be larger than life.Media Contact:
For further details or high-resolution stills from the viral video, contact the original poster via X (@careanimalpet) or visit Lake Eola Park in Orlando to try spotting the star yourself.
About Lake Eola Park
Lake Eola Park is a 43-acre urban oasis in the heart of Orlando, Florida, featuring a 0.9-mile walking path, iconic fountain, swan boats, and a diverse population of waterfowl including ducks, geese, and the city’s famous swans.
