The Century-Old Clam With The Misleading Name

Despite its name, the geoduck is not a bird but a massive burrowing clam that can live over 160 years. It holds its long neck extended above the sand, looking like a strange, fleshy tube that can weigh several pounds.

The name is pronounced gooey-duck and comes from a Native American word meaning dig deep. These clams spend their entire adult lives buried in the seafloor, sometimes digging up to three feet into the sediment. They are among the longest-lived animals on the planet, with some individuals surviving for nearly two centuries. Because they grow so slowly and rarely move once settled, they act as living historical records of ocean conditions.