Ducks are fascinating creatures that can be found in almost every environment where there is water. With over 130 species worldwide, ducks belong to the waterfowl family, Anatidae, which also includes geese and swans.
Ducks are generally divided into three major groups: dabbling (shallow-water), diving, and perching ducks, based on their characteristic behaviors. However, there are many different types of ducks that exist, each with unique characteristics and behaviors.
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In this article, we will explore eight different types of ducks, including their physical features, habitats, and behaviors.
8 Types Of Ducks
Dabbling Ducks
Dabbling ducks, also known as surface-feeding, pond, river, or freshwater ducks, are a group of ducks that frequent shallow waters such as flooded fields and marshes. They feed by tipping up rather than diving and are characterized by their feeding habits and physical features.
Dabbling ducks float high in the water and are swift fliers, leaping upward on noisy wings before attaining level flight, usually in compact flocks. They often forage near the shore for seeds and insects and feed mainly on water plants, which they obtain by tipping-up in shallows.
Dabbling ducks are not equipped with powerful muscles or large feet like their diving duck counterparts, which allows them to swim with their tail held clear of the water, giving them a unique silhouette when flying away.
The best features to look for when identifying dabbling ducks are the small white speculum on the wing and the bill, which is dark with a neat orange. Some examples of dabbling ducks include the mallard, teal, and pintail.
Diving Ducks
Diving ducks, also known as pochards or scaups, are a group of ducks that feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. They are part of the Anatidae family, which includes ducks, geese, and swans.
Diving ducks are placed in a distinct tribe in the subfamily Anatinae, the Aythyini, and are morphologically close to dabbling ducks, but there are some pronounced differences such as in the structure of the trachea.
Diving ducks are typically birds of large, deep lakes and rivers, coastal bays, and inlets. They have speculums that lack the brilliance of those on most dabblers and have a more rapid wingbeat than most dabblers.
Diving ducks mainly feed by diving underwater for their food on freshwater lakes or estuaries. Their feet are placed further back on their body, compared to dabbling ducks, giving them more efficient propulsion on and under the water, which makes them better swimmers and divers.
However, this means diving ducks find it harder to walk on land and can be seen to shuffle along clumsily with an upright stance trying to maintain their balance. Some examples of diving ducks include the canvasback, pochard, goldeneye, goosander, and merganser.
Sea Ducks
Sea ducks are a tribe of the duck subfamily of birds, the Anatinae, and are characterized by their ability to tolerate saltwater and their preference for coastal habitats.
There are 15 species of sea ducks, which are divided into several groups, including eiders, scoters, goldeneyes, mergansers, harlequin and long-tailed ducks, and bufflehead.
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Most species within the group spend their winters near coastal waters, and many have developed specialized salt glands to allow them to tolerate saltwater.
Sea ducks generally have a robust body shape and short neck, and most species nest in the far north, such as Canada and northern Canada and Alaska. The fish-eating members of this group, such as the mergansers and smew, have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey and are often known as “sawbills”.
Other sea ducks forage by diving underwater, taking mollusks or crustaceans from the sea. Some examples of sea ducks include the eider, scoter, long-tailed duck, and oldsquaw.
Stiff-tailed Ducks
Stiff-tailed ducks are a group of freshwater diving ducks that belong to the genus Oxyura, which is part of the Oxyurini tribe of ducks. They are characterized by their long, stiff tail feathers, which are erected when the bird is resting, and their relatively large, swollen bills.
Stiff-tailed ducks are awkward on land because their legs are set far back, so they rarely leave the water. They are typically found in freshwater habitats such as lakes, ponds, and marshes.
There are eight species of stiff-tailed ducks, including the blue-billed duck, ruddy duck, and white-headed duck. The black-headed duck is the ancestor of the Oxyura stiff-tailed ducks.
Stiff-tailed ducks are unique among ducks in many respects, and they demand special attention.
Whistling Ducks
Whistling ducks, also known as tree ducks, are a subfamily of the duck, goose, and swan family of birds, Anatidae. They are found in the tropics and subtropics and are characterized by their distinctive whistling calls.
Whistling ducks have long legs and necks and are very gregarious, flying to and from night-time roosts in large flocks. Both sexes have the same plumage, and all have a hunched appearance and black underwings in flight.
There is only one genus, Dendrocygna, which contains eight living species, and one undescribed extinct species from Aitutaki of the Cook Islands.
Some examples of whistling ducks include the black-bellied whistling duck and the fulvous whistling duck.
The black-bellied whistling duck is a boisterous duck with a brilliant pink bill and an unusual, long-legged silhouette. They are often found in agricultural fields, where they eat lots of grain, and feed nocturnally, so they fly out to fields from their roosts around sunset.
The fulvous whistling duck is a lanky bird of shallow wetlands, widespread in the tropics of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Mergansers
Mergansers are a group of fish-eating ducks that belong to the genus Mergus, which is part of the subfamily Anatinae. There are three species of mergansers: the common merganser, the red-breasted merganser, and the hooded merganser.
Mergansers are typically found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and ponds. They are streamlined ducks that float gracefully down small rivers or shallow shorelines.
Males are striking with clean white bodies, while females have a rusty head and grayish body. The long, narrow bill with serrated edges readily distinguishes mergansers from all other ducks.
Common mergansers are among the largest ducks, but are less stocky than eiders and goldeneyes. In flight, they appear more elongated than other ducks, flying in trailing lines close to the water’s surface.
The hooded merganser is a small duck with a thin bill and a fan-shaped, collapsible crest that makes the head look oversized and oblong.
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The red-breasted merganser is a large seaduck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America.
Perching Ducks
Perching ducks are a group of ducks that are known for their readiness to perch high in trees. They are a diverse group of ducks that are largely subtropical to tropical in occurrence.
Until the late 20th century, perching ducks meant Cairinini, a tribe of ducks in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae, grouped together on the basis of their readiness to perch high in trees.
However, it has been subsequently shown that the grouping is paraphyletic and their apparent similarity results from convergent evolution, with the different members more closely related to various other ducks than to each other.
Some examples of perching ducks include the wood duck, Brazilian duck, comb duck, and mandarin duck. Perching ducks are closely akin to dabbling ducks, which they resemble in feeding habits and, in some species, courtship behavior; in other respects, they are like shelducks.
Some possess a bony knob at the wing bend, and most forms show white wing patches and black wing linings. Drakes are larger than hens and, on the whole, more brightly patterned—sometimes in metallic colors.
Domestic Ducks
Domestic ducks are ducks that have been bred for specific purposes, such as meat, egg production, or ornamental value. Almost all varieties of domesticated ducks, apart from the domestic Muscovy duck, are descended from the mallard.
Domestic ducks were probably domesticated in Southeast Asia, most probably in Southern China, by the rice paddy-farming ancestors of modern Southeast Asians, and spread outwards from that region. There are many different breeds of domestic ducks, each with unique characteristics and purposes.
Here are some of the most common domestic duck breeds in the US:
1. Indian Runner Duck
2. Pekin Duck
3. Buff Orpington Duck
4. Cayuga Duck
5. Khaki Campbell Duck
6. Welsh Harlequin Duck
7. Muscovy Duck
8. Ancona Duck
9. Magpie Duck
10. Rouen Duck
Domestic ducks are easy to raise and care for, making them a popular choice for backyard homesteads. They require a shelter to protect them from predators, a source of water for swimming and drinking, and a balanced diet of feed and fresh greens. Domestic ducks are also social animals and should be kept in pairs or groups.
FAQS
1. How many different types of ducks are there?
There are over 130 species of ducks worldwide, which can be found in almost every environment where there is water.
2. What are dabbling ducks?
Dabbling ducks are a group of ducks that feed on the surface of the water or by tipping their heads down to reach food below the surface. Examples include the mallard, teal, and pintail.
3. What are diving ducks?
Diving ducks are a group of ducks that feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. They have heavier bodies and smaller wings than dabbling ducks, which makes them better suited for diving. Examples include the canvasback, redhead, and scaup.
4. What are sea ducks?
Sea ducks are typically marine birds that are found in coastal habitats, although they will venture inland during migration and breeding season. They have evolved well for life at sea and are able to survive in extremely low temperatures. Examples include the eider, scoter, and long-tailed duck.
5. What are perching ducks?
Perching ducks are a group of ducks that are known for their readiness to perch high in trees. They are a diverse group of ducks that are largely subtropical to tropical in occurrence.
6. What are domestic ducks?
Domestic ducks are ducks that have been bred for specific purposes, such as meat, egg production, or ornamental value. There are many different breeds of domestic ducks, each with unique characteristics and purposes.
7. Are ducks intelligent?
Yes, ducks are intelligent, feeling individuals who love spending their time relaxing on the water or foraging for food.
8. What should I feed ducks?
Ducks are omnivores and eat a variety of foods, including insects, plants, and small fish. If you want to feed ducks, it’s best to offer them foods that are healthy for them, such as cracked corn, oats, or birdseed. It’s important not to feed them bread, as it can be harmful to their health.
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