Duck: Information on the Animal

Ducks are categorized in the Antidae family, which also includes swans and geese. Ducks are generally divided into at least seven groups, four of which can be found in North America: dabbling or puddle ducks, diving or bay ducks, stiff-tails and sea ducks and mergansers.

Coloring

Male wood duck

Males and females of most duck species display very different coloration, with males being brightly colored and distinctively marked, and females wearing dull brown or gray feathers. While the male mallard has a bright iridescent green head, white neck ring and rust-colored chest, the female is a mottled brown. The male wood duck, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful waterfowl, has an iridescent green and purple head, red bill and eyes and handsome striping on its multi-colored body. The female wood duck has a white eye ring and whitish throat, but is otherwise much more subdued in color, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Habitat

Ducks are generally found near wetlands or waterways, with some nesting in high latitude wetlands and others making their home in lower latitudes. Elders and northern pintails can be found as far north as northerly tundra regions. Dabbling ducks usually nest along wetlands, while canvasbacks and ruddy ducks nest in aquatic vegetation. Some ducks, including the wood duck, hooded merganser and bufflehead nest in trees. Some, but not all ducks make long migrations each year to nesting grounds. Many ducks are at home in even highly populated areas.

Diet

Most ducks are omnivorous, although some are largely herbivorous. Sea ducks and mergansers living near large bodies of water are almost entirely carnivorous. Ducks' diet includes such common wetland plant food as seeds, aquatic grasses and pond weeds. They may also eat fish, fish eggs and various water invertebrates. Many ducks subsisting on a primarily plant-based diet begin eating invertebrates prior to breeding season, which may provide them with extra energy required for reproduction, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Reproduction

Most ducks form a new pair bond each season after undergoing elaborate courtship rituals. Exhibitions of preening, head bobbing, special calls and postures such as holding both head and tail up occur prior to pair formation. Although scientists once considered ducks to be monogamous, genetic research indicates that despite the male duck's defense of his territory against other males, paired-up females may sometimes mate with other males. After incubation has begun, the female is often left on her own to defend her eggs against predators such as raccoons, foxes and skunks.

Young

Ducklings take to the water almost immediately after hatching.

Mothers and babies begin communicating in low calls even before the ducklings are hatched. Baby ducks follow their mother into the water almost immediately after hatching. They are covered with a soft, dense down, making them buoyant. Once in the water, young ducklings mostly consume invertebrates. The mother has a special contact call for her ducklings and keeps watch over them until they are almost ready to fly.