Ducks: A Comprehensive Guide to These Aquatic Birds

Duck Browse the article Duck

Introduction to Duck

Duck, a swimming bird related to the goose and swan. There are about 150 species. Ducks may be found in every region of the world, except Antarctica. Millions of ducks once inhabited North America but great numbers have been killed off by hunters. More than half of the most popular game ducks are shot before they have reached the age of one year. Several species of ducks are valued as food. In length ducks range from 15 to 24 inches (38 to 61 cm). Their call is usually a deep, quacking noise. The male is called a drake, the female a duck or hen. The young are ducklings.

Mallard drakes have distinctive green heads while the hens are drab brown.

Ducks have spoon-shaped bills. In some ducks, the edges of the bill have rough, groove-like notches, called serrations, which hold elusive prey. In other ducks the serrations are finer and are used only to strain water from food.

The thick, soft feathers are made water-repellent by a film of oil that the duck, using its bill, presses out of a gland located just above the tail. Water cannot penetrate this film and it prevents the feathers from becoming water-logged and the skin from becoming wet and cold. Ducks vary in color from brilliant iridescent greens, bronzes, and purples to dull grays, lusterless whites, and drab browns. The drake is generally more brightly colored than the hen.

A duck has webbed feet. Three of the four toes extend forward, with the outer toes being joined to the middle toe by webbing. The fourth toe projects backward and is not webbed. The duck is a graceful swimmer and diver but on land it moves with a clumsy waddle. Some of the diving species remain submerged for long periods while pursuing fish. Ducks are splendid fliers. Several species can fly at speeds close to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).

Habits of Ducks

Feeding

Each species of duck has its own eating habits. Ducks will eat grass roots, water plants, wild rice, seeds of all types, small nuts, berries, grains, small fish, shellfish, worms, leeches, crayfish, toads, frogs, salamanders, and tadpoles. Some ducks feed by diving for fish. Others feed in corn and other grain fields, in marshes, and along the banks of rivers and lakes.

Pochards have blue bills and dive beneath the water to feed.Nesting Habits

The wild duck usually chooses and remains with one mate for a season. The domestic duck changes mates between broods.

A typical wild duck's nest is saucer-shaped. It is built of reeds, grasses, mosses, or leaves, and is lined with down from the female's breast. Most duck nests are built on the ground—usually in some depression among reeds, rushes, rocks, willows, or in the hollow of a dead tree. Ducks of some species nest high up in trees, typically in cavities. Some ducks occupy the abandoned tree nests of such larger birds as hawks.

Female ducks of most species lay 6 to 12 eggs; females of some species lay as many as 20. Typically, the eggs are incubated only by the female. When she leaves the nest, she covers the eggs with a layer of feathers. Incubation lasts for about a month. After hatching, the young follow the mother to a body of water. The young of most species first fly when they are between 50 and 60 days old.

Molting

All of a duck's flight feathers are shed at the same time. Males shed the feathers soon after breeding; females, after nesting. Males lose their bright plumage during this molting. The ducks are unable to fly for a few weeks, until new feathers grow. Males regain their bright plumage with the new feathers.

Migration

Ducks have short but unusually strong wings, enabling them to fly long distances. Some ducks migrate from Canada to Central America. Unlike geese, ducks do not fly in formation. Each flock may include about 100 ducks. Each year, the ducks follow the same fly ways, or routes, and the ducks stop at the same feeding sites along the flyways.

The shelduck migrates to the same place every year.

Conservation and Hunting

The draining and filling of wetlands has reduced the number of feeding sites along the flyways of migrating ducks. In the United States and Canada, many large sanctuary areas have been established along duck flyways. No hunting is allowed in these areas. Tight restrictions are placed on duck hunting in a number of other areas; shooting is permitted only under certain conditions, and only during certain hours.

Hunters use a vast array of elaborate equipment in their efforts to seek out, lure, and shoot ducks. The hunters usually wait for their prey in boats or in a hidden pit, or blind. The blind is typically situated near the edge of some body of water located in a feeding area. Wooden or plastic duck replicas called decoys, are put out in the water. Attracted by the decoys, flying ducks may be lured within gunshot range. Another form of lure is a simulated duck call.

Because ducks fly at such great speeds, most hunters use shotguns that discharge large, screen-like patterns of pellets. The hunter must "lead,'' or aim in front of, the speeding ducks. Ducks that have been shot are usually fetched from the place where they have fallen by specially trained dogs known as retrievers.

Wild Ducks

Ducks belong to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae. There are about 50 species native to North America. Following is a list of some of the better-known species of ducks. The description given for each, unless otherwise noted, is of the adult male plumage.

Baldpate

See Widgeon, in this list.

Black Duck

The black duck is a dark-hued bird with a white lining and a patch of violet on each wing. It breeds in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. The black duck is a very hardy species and can withstand extreme cold. It winters from Michigan and Nova Scotia to Texas and Florida.

The black duck is Anas rubripes.

Bluebill

See Scaup, in this list.

Bufflehead

This is one of the smallest wild ducks, The black head, marked with a patch of white, has feathers that stand out, giving it a rounded appearance. The bufflehead is a speedy diver. It breeds chiefly in Alaska and central Canada and winters on the Great Lakes, the Atlantic coast, and the Gulf of Mexico.

The bufflehead is Bucephala albeola.

Canvasback

This hardy bird is found only in North America, where it is a table delicacy. Its back and sides are a light canvas-colored gray. The long, sloping head is rusty red, and the breast black. The canvasback is a swift flier and an agile diver. It breeds chiefly in Alaska, western Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. In winter it is found as far south as Mexico and in the eastern United States from Lake Erie and Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico.

The canvasback is Aythya valisineria.

Eider

The eider is a sea duck, frequenting offshore islands and waters, where it dives for mussels, its chief food. The female lines her nest with soft breast-down, building up this layer of down at the nest sides so that it can be pulled in over the eggs during incubation. The eider's soft, light down is used for stuffing pillows, quilts, and comforters, and for lining some types of clothing. The common eider is white above and black below, with a black crown. The king eider has a white neck and breast, black back, and an orange bill shield. Both species breed and winter in the Arctic, occasionally coming farther south.

The common eider is Somateria mollissima; king eider, S. spectabilis.

Gadwall

The gadwall is a freshwater duck found along the weedy shores of rivers, lakes, and ponds. It is a slender, gray duck with a black rump and a white patch on the hind edge of each wing. The gadwall breeds from Alaska and Manitoba to California, New Mexico, Iowa, and New Jersey. It is found as far south as southern Mexico in winter. A swift flier, it produces a sharp whistling sound in flight.

The gadwall is Anas strepera.

Goldeneye

The goldeneye has a dark head, black back, and white throat, breast, and underparts. The common goldeneye has a prominent white spot below the eye near the bill, and its head is glossy green. It breeds from Alaska to Newfoundland and in northern parts of the United States. It winters as far south as California and the Gulf of Mexico, on the seacoasts and inland. Barrow's goldeneye has a larger, crescent-shaped white patch at the base of the bill, and its head is glossy purple. It breeds from Alaska to Oregon; in the mountains of California and Colorado; and in Quebec and Labrador. It winters chiefly on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

The common goldeneye is Bucephala clangula; Barrow's, B. islandica.

Harlequin Duck

This duck has distinctive white markings on the head, neck, wings, and tail. The harlequin duck breeds from Greenland to Alaska and south in the mountains to California and Colorado. It winters on the coasts of New England and the Pacific Northwest.

The harlequin duck is Histrionicus histrionicus.

Labrador Duck

This sea duck became extinct in 1878. It formerly was found from Nova Scotia south to New Jersey. It is known only from a few stuffed specimens. It was mostly black with white wings, head, neck, and throat. Never abundant, the Labrador duck apparently was hunted to extinction on its breeding grounds on the southeastern coast of Labrador.

The labrador duck is Camptorhynchus labradorius.

Mallard

The mallard is the most common and familiar duck, all over the globe. In North America it breeds from Alaska to Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes region south to California, Kansas, Ohio, and Virginia. It winters from Alaska and the southern part of its Canadian breeding range south to central Mexico and the West Indies. The mallard's white neck ring, rich chestnut breast, and glossy-green head distinguish it from other ducks. The female has mottled brown plumage with a whitish tail. In both sexes there is a violet-blue patch, bordered with white, on the rear edge of each wing. The female quacks loudly and repeatedly; the male utters a single, faint note. The mallard is found in ponds, rivers, and freshwater marshes. It often feeds on grain in fields. The nest is a hollowed place among reeds or tall grasses, and is lined with down. The mallard lays 8 to 15 (usually about 10) greenish-buff eggs.

Domesticated mallards are discussed under the subtitle Domestic Ducks.

The mallard is the most common wild duck.

The mallard is Anas platyrhynchos.

How Is a Mallard Like a Swan?

Mallards, like swans, are dabblers. Dabblers are swimming birds that eat water plants and sift through mud to find food. A mallard’s bill is like a swan’s. The bill is flat and wide, with teethlike fringes along the edges to trap food and let water drain out.

Masked Duck

This tropical duck is found occasionally in the lower Rio Grande valley. It resembles the ruddy duck but is smaller and has a black, masklike patch on the head and a patch of white on each wing.

The masked duck is Oxyura dominica.

Merganser

The common merganser is a handsome, long-bodied bird with white sides and breast, a greenish-black head, and a black back. It is an excellent diver, capturing small fish with ease. It breeds from Alaska and northern Canada south to Maine, Minnesota, and California. The redbreasted merganser is similar, but has long crest feathers, a reddish-brown speckled breast, and a broad white collar. The hooded merganser has reddish sides and a large white, black-edged crest. It breeds as far south as Missouri and Florida.

The common merganser is Mergus merganser; red-breasted, M. serrator; hooded, Mergus (or Lophodytes) cucullatus.

The red-breasted merganser has long crest feathers, a speckled breast, and a broad white collar.Which Duck Has a Hood?

The hooded merganser (muhr GAN suhr) has a crest made of feathers. When the feathers lie flat, they look like hair. But when the feathers are raised, they look like a hood.

Both male and female mergansers have hoods. But a male’s hood is larger and fuller. Males raise their hoods often. They raise their hoods to attract females. They may also raise their hoods when they are excited or in danger.

Like swans, hooded mergansers are good swimmers, but they are also good divers. They dive beneath the water to catch fish. Mergansers have long, thin bills with teethlike edges for grasping fish.

More Wild Ducks

Mexican Duck

This duck, also called the New Mexican duck, closely resembles the female mallard but has a grayish-brown instead of a whitish tail. It is found in New Mexico and the Rio Grande valley.

The Mexican duck is Anas diazi.

Mottled Duck

This fowl is similar to the black duck, but is yellowish-brown. It is found from Florida to Texas.

The mottled duck is Anas fulvigula.

New Mexican Duck

See Mexican Duck, in this list.

Oldsquaw

The oldsquaw has black-and-white plumage and two distinctively long tail feathers. It is one of the fastest of the sea ducks. The oldsquaw breeds from the Arctic Ocean south into Canada. It winters on the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the Great Lakes.

The oldsquaw is Clangula hyemalis.

Pintail

This graceful bird can be identified by its slender neck, pure white underparts, and long, slender central tail feathers. The male has a mellow whistle instead of a quack. The pintail is easily tamed. It is found from extreme northern Canada to California, Colorado, and Illinois in summer and to Central America in winter.

The pintail is Anas acuta.

Redhead

This duck is very much like the canvasback in both coloring and flavor. The redhead is slightly smaller and has a shorter bill and round head. It breeds in southern Canada and the western United States, and winters in the southeastern United States and Mexico.

The redhead is Aythya americana.

Ring-necked Duck

This is a black-backed, blackheaded duck with white underparts. The narrow, chestnut-brown collar is not always visible. There is a white ring across the bill. The ring-necked duck breeds from Oregon and the Dakotas northward and winters as far south as Panama.

The ring-necked duck is Aythya collaris.

Ruddy Duck

This fowl has reddish-brown plumage, white cheek patches, dark crown, and blue bill. The tail feathers are separated, pointed, and stiff. It is one of the smallest members of the duck family. An expert diver and swimmer, it can quickly submerge itself to avoid danger. The ruddy duck is chiefly a western species, found from Canada to Central America.

The ruddy duck is Oxyura jamaicensis.

The ruddy duck is small and has pointed, stiff tail feathers.Scaup

The scaup, also called the bluebill, has a black head and breast, gray back, white sides, and black tail. The bill is blue. In the greater scaup the head is glossed with green; in the lesser scaup, with purple. Both species breed in central Canada. The greater scaup winters mainly on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The lesser scaup is common inland in winter.

The greater scaup is Aythya marila; lesser, A. affinis.

Scoter

The black, or common, scoter is entirely black, with a yellow-orange knob at the base of the upper part of the bill. It breeds from Labrador to Alaska and winters on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the Great Lakes. The surf scoter is similar to the common scoter except for two patches of white on its head. Its range is similar to that of the common Scoter. The white-winged, or velvet, scoter is black and has a white spot on each wing. It breeds chiefly in west-central Canada and winters on the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast.

The black scoter is Melanitta (or Oidemia) nigra; surf, M. perspicillata; white-winged, M. fusca.

Shoveler

This duck paddles about on shallow ponds, scooping up mud and vegetation with its flattened, spoonlike bill. It strains the mud and water out at the sides and eats the vegetation. The shoveler is mainly black and white, with reddish underparts and sides. It is found in many parts of North America.

The shoveler is Anas (or Spatula) clypeata.

Teal

The teal is generally found in marshy areas and often appears to be standing on its head, rooting about the bottom for small plants and seeds. It is about 15 inches (38 cm) long. The green-winged teal is gray, with a brown head. There is a vertical white mark on the side in front of each wing, a green patch on the rear edge of each wing, and a green patch on the side of the head. The green-winged teal is found all over North America, Europe, and Asia. The cinnamon teal is reddish, with a blue wing patch. It is found in western Canada, the western United States, and Central America. The blue-winged teal is gray-brown, with a large white crescent in front of each eye, and a blue patch on each wing. It breeds in many parts of North America and winters as far south as Peru.

The green-winged teal is Anas crecca; cinnamon, A. cyanoptera; blue-winged, A. discurs.

Whistling Duck, or Tree Duck

Its names refer to its shrill whistling cry and to its habit of perching in trees and nesting in hollow trees, which are often quite far from water. The bird has long legs and neck, a short tail, and short rounded wings. The black-bellied whistling duck is cinnamon-brown above and black below. It has a pink bill and large white wing patches. It is found from Texas to Argentina. The fulvous whistling duck is mainly yellowish-brown, with a dark back and a creamy stripe on each side. This duck is found from Louisiana and California south to southern Mexico.

The black-bellied whistling duck is Dendrocygna autumnalis; fulvous, D. bicolor.

Widgeon

The American widgeon, or baldpate, is a gray-brown duck with a white crown, green patch behind each eye, and white markings on the wings and tail. In the European widgeon the head is red-brown with a buff-colored crown. The American widgeon breeds in western Canada and the western United States, and winters over a wide range including the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The European widgeon breeds in Europe and Asia but occurs regularly in various parts of North America in winter.

The American widgeon inhabits lakes and river deltas.

The American widgeon is Anas americana; European, A. penelope.

Wood Duck

This bird is considered the most beautiful of American waterfowl. It has velvety purplish wings and a metallic-green head marked with white lines. The breast is chestnut bronze. The wood duck breeds in southern Canada and the northwestern and eastern United States. It winters as far south as Mexico and Cuba. The wood duck nests in hollow trees and has a plaintive whistling cry.

The wood duck is Aix sponsa.

Mandarin ducks are perching ducks: they nest in trees close to water.Which Ducks Have Whiskers?

Mandarin ducks have whiskers, just as cats do. But a mandarin’s whiskers are very different from a cat’s. A drake’s bright orange whiskers are made of tiny feathers that hang from the sides of its head. Female mandarins also have feathery whiskers, but they are not colored brightly.

Drake mandarins also have a special set of feathers that look like sails.

What do mandarin ducks do with their special feathers? Like swans, mandarins display to attract mates. Drakes puff out their whiskers and sails to attract females.

Where Do Torrent Ducks Live?

Most swimming birds live near lakes, ponds, and oceans. But torrent ducks live on white-water rivers. Here, the water moves so quickly over rocks that it looks white and foamy.

Life in such fast waters isn’t easy. Torrent ducks have big, strong webbed feet that help. They can grip slippery river rocks without falling. Their body shape and strong feet help them swim in the river currents.

Torrent ducks have long, narrow bills. These ducks eat larvae (LARH vee), the wormlike stage of newly hatched insects. The ducks use their bills to reach between river rocks to get the larvae.

Domestic Ducks

Two species of ducks, the mallard and the Muscovy, have been domesticated. The mallard was first domesticated in China hundreds of years ago and there are several different breeds. Domesticated ducks are raised for their meat and, to a lesser extent, for their eggs. Some are kept as pets or for show.

Domestic ducks include the following types:

Muscovy

Despite the name, the Muscovy is native to tropical America, not to Russia. Mature Muscovy ducks may be white, or black with yellow and white spots. The drakes weigh about 10 pounds (4.5 kg); the hens, 6 pounds (2.7 kg). The bird is raised for its meat.

The Muscovy is Cairina moschata.

Pekin or White Pekin

This is the most popular domestic meat duck. Its feathers are white or creamy and the bill is orange-yellow. Adults weigh from eight to nine pounds (3.6 to 4 kg). The Pekin, originally bred in China, is a breed of mallard.

Rouen

Also a mallard meat duck, the Rouen is colored much the same as the wild mallard. The drake weighs about nine pounds (4 kg), the hen about eight pounds (3.6 kg). The Cayuga and Aylesbury, also domestic ducks, are closely related.

Runner or Indian Runner

This small duck, also a mallard breed, is raised for its eggs. It is usually colored fawn and white or all white. It has a slender body and long bill, and weighs about four pounds (1.8 kg). The runner is native to India.