Wildlife Information -Ducks
There are numerous duck species, each with its own unique characteristics. Males are called “drakes” and females are called “hens.” Drakes have brilliant, colorful plumage. Hens have subtle or drab plumage, providing much needed camouflage for nesting. Ducks molt twice each year. They reach sexual maturity at one year of age. Drakes initiate courtship displays by flicking their tails, dipping their bills, and noisily shaking their heads. Drakes lose their brilliant plumage soon after mating, resembling females for a short time. This hen-like appearance is called “eclipse.”
Hens are vulnerable to predators while nesting. One million nesting females are lost in the midwestern prairie pothole region each year. Hens usually lay one egg each day with an average clutch size of 9 to 12 eggs. Young ducks are usually a dirty, yellow-brown color. Ducklings can swim right after hatching.
Ducks make a variety of sounds including whistles, clucks, rattles, and grunts. Their bills have rows of fine notches along the edge called “lamellae.” The lamellae act as a filter and also allow them to rip off plants on land and in the muddy bottoms of lakes and ponds.
There are two general categories of ducks: “dabblers” and “divers.” Dabbling ducks, also called “puddle ducks,” prefer small bodies of water. They represent the largest and most widespread group of ducks. They feed in a water-skimming manner just below the surface, with their tails straight in the air. They have broad, flat bills and a bright speculum or wing patch. Dabbling ducks take off by flying straight into the air. They feed on newly harvested croplands and evade predators by seeking dense cover. Dabbling ducks form small, irregular flocks. Some dabbling ducks include mallards, black ducks, shovelers, gadwalls, teals, and wood ducks.
Diving ducks prefer large, deep lakes and coastal bays. They are generally drab in color. They swim underwater to feed and run across the surface to take off. Diving ducks generally eat more animal matter. They form large, orderly flocks. Their small wing size gives way to faster wing beats. Diving ducks’ courtship displays are generally more demonstrative or exaggerated, and they evade predators by diving. Some diving ducks include canvasbacks, redheads, buffleheads, scaups, goldeneyes, ruddy ducks, and mergansers.
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