Duck is the common name for numerous species ofwaterfowl in thefamilyAnatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked thanswans andgeese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are aform taxon; they do not represent amonophyletic group (the group of all descendants of a single common ancestral species), since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostlyaquatic birds, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water.
Ducks are sometimes confused with several types of unrelated water birds with similar forms, such asloons or divers,grebes,gallinules andcoots.
Etymology
The wordduck comes fromOld Englishdūce 'diver', a derivative of the verb*dūcan 'to duck, bend down low as if to get under something, or dive', because of the way many species in thedabbling duck group feed by upending; compare withDutchduiken andGermantauchen 'to dive'.
This word replaced Old Englishened /ænid 'duck', possibly to avoid confusion with other words, such asende 'end' with similar forms. Other Germanic languages still have similar words forduck, for example, Dutcheend, GermanEnte andNorwegianand. The wordened /ænid was inherited fromProto-Indo-European;cf.Latinanas "duck",Lithuanianántis 'duck',Ancient Greekνῆσσα /νῆττα (nēssa /nētta) 'duck', andSanskritātí 'water bird', among others.
A duckling is a young duck in downy plumage[1] or baby duck,[2] but in the food trade a young domestic duck which has just reached adult size and bulk and its meat is still fully tender, is sometimes labelled as a duckling.
All ducks belong to thebiological orderAnseriformes, a group that contains the ducks, geese and swans, as well as thescreamers, and themagpie goose.[5] All except the screamers belong to thebiological familyAnatidae.[5] Within the family, ducks are split into a variety of subfamilies and 'tribes'. The number and composition of these subfamilies and tribes is the cause of considerable disagreement among taxonomists.[5] Some base their decisions onmorphological characteristics, others on shared behaviours or genetic studies.[6][7] The number of suggested subfamilies containing ducks ranges from two to five.[8][9] The significant level ofhybridisation that occurs among wild ducks complicates efforts to tease apart the relationships between various species.[9]
In most modern classifications, the so-called 'true ducks' belong to the subfamily Anatinae, which is further split into a varying number of tribes.[10] The largest of these, the Anatini, contains the 'dabbling' or 'river' ducks – named for their method of feeding primarily at the surface of fresh water.[11] The 'diving ducks', also named for their primary feeding method, make up the tribe Aythyini.[12] The 'sea ducks' of the tribe Mergini are diving ducks which specialise on fish and shellfish and spend a majority of their lives in saltwater.[13] The tribe Oxyurini contains the 'stifftails', diving ducks notable for their small size and stiff, upright tails.[14]
A number of other species called ducks are not considered to be 'true ducks', and are typically placed in other subfamilies or tribes. Thewhistling ducks are assigned either to a tribe (Dendrocygnini) in the subfamily Anatinae or the subfamily Anserinae,[15] or to their own subfamily (Dendrocygninae) or family (Dendrocyganidae).[9][16] Thefreckled duck of Australia is either the sole member of the tribe Stictonettini in the subfamily Anserinae,[15] or in its own family, the Stictonettinae.[9] Theshelducks make up the tribe Tadornini in the family Anserinae in some classifications,[15] and their own subfamily, Tadorninae, in others,[17] while thesteamer ducks are either placed in the family Anserinae in the tribe Tachyerini[15] or lumped with the shelducks in the tribe Tadorini.[9] Theperching ducks make up in the tribe Cairinini in the subfamily Anserinae in some classifications, while that tribe is eliminated in other classifications and its members assigned to the tribe Anatini.[9] Thetorrent duck is generally included in the subfamily Anserinae in the monotypic tribe Merganettini,[15] but is sometimes included in the tribe Tadornini.[18] Thepink-eared duck is sometimes included as a true duck either in the tribe Anatini[15] or the tribe Malacorhynchini,[19] and other times is included with the shelducks in the tribe Tadornini.[15]
The overallbody plan of ducks is elongated and broad, and they are also relatively long-necked, albeit not as long-necked as the geese and swans. The body shape of diving ducks varies somewhat from this in being more rounded. Thebill is usually broad and contains serratedpectens, which are particularly well defined in the filter-feeding species. In the case of some fishing species the bill is long and strongly serrated. The scaled legs are strong and well developed, and generally set far back on the body, more so in the highly aquatic species. The wings are very strong and are generally short and pointed, and theflight of ducks requires fast continuous strokes, requiring in turn strong wing muscles. Three species ofsteamer duck are almost flightless, however. Many species of duck are temporarily flightless whilemoulting; they seek out protected habitat with good food supplies during this period. This moult typically precedesmigration.
The drakes of northern species often have extravagantplumage, but that ismoulted in summer to give a more female-like appearance, the "eclipse" plumage. Southern resident species typically show lesssexual dimorphism, although there are exceptions such as theparadise shelduck ofNew Zealand, which is both strikingly sexually dimorphic and in which the female's plumage is brighter than that of the male. The plumage of juvenile birds generally resembles that of the female. Female ducks have evolved to have a corkscrew shaped vagina to prevent rape.
Some duck species, mainly those breeding in the temperate and Arctic Northern Hemisphere, are migratory; those in the tropics are generally not. Some ducks, particularly in Australia where rainfall is erratic, are nomadic, seeking out the temporary lakes and pools that form after localised heavy rain.[23]
Ducks eat food sources such asgrasses, aquatic plants, fish, insects, small amphibians, worms, and smallmolluscs.
Dabbling ducks feed on the surface of water or on land, or as deep as they can reach by up-ending without completely submerging.[24] Along the edge of the bill, there is a comb-like structure called apecten. This strains the water squirting from the side of the bill and traps any food. The pecten is also used to preen feathers and to hold slippery food items.
Diving ducks andsea ducks forage deep underwater. To be able to submerge more easily, the diving ducks are heavier than dabbling ducks, and therefore have more difficulty taking off to fly.
A few specialized species such as themergansers are adapted to catch and swallow large fish.
The others have the characteristic wide flat bill adapted todredging-type jobs such as pulling up waterweed, pulling worms and small molluscs out of mud, searching for insect larvae, and bulk jobs such as dredging out, holding, turning head first, and swallowing a squirming frog. To avoid injury when digging into sediment it has nocere, but the nostrils come out through hard horn.
Ducks generallyonly have one partner at a time, although the partnership usually only lasts one year.[26] Larger species and the more sedentary species (like fast-river specialists) tend to have pair-bonds that last numerous years.[27] Most duck species breed once a year, choosing to do so in favourable conditions (spring/summer or wet seasons). Ducks also tend to make anest before breeding, and, after hatching, lead their ducklings to water. Mother ducks are very caring and protective of their young, but may abandon some of their ducklings if they are physically stuck in an area they cannot get out of (such as nesting in an enclosedcourtyard) or are not prospering due to genetic defects or sickness brought about by hypothermia, starvation, or disease. Ducklings can also be orphaned by inconsistent late hatching where a few eggs hatch after the mother has abandoned the nest and led her ducklings to water.[28]
Communication
Femalemallard ducks (as well as several other species in the genusAnas, such as theAmerican andPacific black ducks,spot-billed duck,northern pintail andcommon teal) make the classic "quack" sound while males make a similar but raspier sound that is sometimes written as "breeeeze",[29][self-published source?] but, despite widespread misconceptions, most species of duck do not "quack".[30] In general, ducks make a range ofcalls, including whistles, cooing, yodels and grunts. For example, thescaup – which arediving ducks – make a noise like "scaup" (hence their name). Calls may be loud displaying calls or quieter contact calls.
Ducks have many predators. Ducklings are particularly vulnerable, since their inability to fly makes them easy prey not only for predatory birds but also for large fish likepike,crocodilians, predatorytestudines such as thealligator snapping turtle, and other aquatic hunters, including fish-eating birds such asherons. Ducks' nests are raided by land-based predators, and brooding females may be caught unaware on the nest by mammals, such asfoxes, or large birds, such ashawks orowls.
Adult ducks are fast fliers, but may be caught on the water by large aquatic predators including big fish such as the North Americanmuskie and the Europeanpike. In flight, ducks are safe from all but a few predators such as humans and theperegrine falcon, which uses its speed and strength to catch ducks.
Humans have hunted ducks since prehistoric times. Excavations ofmiddens in California dating to 7800 – 6400BP have turned up bones of ducks, including at least one now-extinct flightless species.[33] Ducks were captured in "significant numbers" byHolocene inhabitants of the lowerOhio River valley, suggesting they took advantage of the seasonal bounty provided by migrating waterfowl.[34] Neolithic hunters in locations as far apart as the Caribbean,[35] Scandinavia,[36] Egypt,[37] Switzerland,[38] and China relied on ducks as a source of protein for some or all of the year.[39] Archeological evidence shows thatMāori people in New Zealand hunted the flightlessFinsch's duck, possibly to extinction, though rat predation may also have contributed to its fate.[40] A similar end awaited theChatham duck, a species with reduced flying capabilities which went extinct shortly after its island was colonised by Polynesian settlers.[41] It is probable that duck eggs were gathered by Neolithic hunter-gathers as well, though hard evidence of this is uncommon.[35][42]
In many areas, wild ducks (including ducks farmed and released into the wild) are hunted for food or sport,[43] by shooting, or by being trapped usingduck decoys. Because an idle floating duck or a duck squatting on land cannot react to fly or move quickly, "a sitting duck" has come to mean "an easy target". These ducks may becontaminated by pollutants such asPCBs.[44]
Ducks have many economic uses, being farmed for their meat, eggs, and feathers (particularly theirdown). Approximately 3 billion ducks are slaughtered each year for meat worldwide.[45] They are also kept and bred by aviculturists and often displayed in zoos. Almost all the varieties of domestic ducks are descended from themallard (Anas platyrhynchos), apart from theMuscovy duck (Cairina moschata).[46][47] TheCall duck is another example of a domestic duck breed. Its name comes from its original use established by hunters, as a decoy to attract wild mallards from the sky, into traps set for them on the ground. The call duck is the world's smallest domestic duck breed, as it weighs less than 1 kg (2.2 lb).[48]
Heraldry
Three black-colored ducks in the coat of arms ofMaaninka[49]
The 1992 Disney filmThe Mighty Ducks, starringEmilio Estevez, chose the duck as the mascot for the fictional youth hockey team who are protagonists of the movie, based on the duck being described as a fierce fighter. This led to the duck becoming the nickname and mascot for the eventualNational Hockey League professional team of theAnaheim Ducks, who were founded with the name the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.[citation needed] The duck is also the nickname of theUniversity of Oregon sports teams as well as theLong Island Ducks minor leaguebaseball team.[55]
^Rohwer, Frank C.; Anderson, Michael G. (1988). "Female-Biased Philopatry, Monogamy, and the Timing of Pair Formation in Migratory Waterfowl".Current Ornithology. pp. 187–221.doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-6787-5_4.ISBN978-1-4615-6789-9.
^Sanderson, Peter; Gilbert, Laura (2008). "1970s".Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 161.ISBN978-0756641238.December saw the debut of the cigar-smoking Howard the Duck. In this story by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik, various beings from different realities had begun turning up in the Man-Thing's Florida swamp, including this bad-tempered talking duck.
^"The Duck".University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved2022-01-20.
Carboneras, Carlos (1992). del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.).Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.ISBN978-84-87334-10-8.
Christidis, Les; Boles, Walter E., eds. (2008).Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. Collingwood, VIC: Csiro Publishing.ISBN978-0-643-06511-6.
Elphick, Chris; Dunning, John B. Jr.; Sibley, David, eds. (2001).The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behaviour. London: Christopher Helm.ISBN978-0-7136-6250-4.
Kear, Janet, ed. (2005).Ducks, Geese and Swans: Species Accounts (Cairina toMergus). Bird Families of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-861009-0.
Pratt, H. Douglas; Bruner, Phillip L.; Berrett, Delwyn G. (1987).A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.ISBN0-691-02399-9.
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