Life of a Duck(Bird)
Ducks are wonderfully hardy, inexpensive, and easy to care for. They can live up to 20 years and make gentle and amusing pets. Only two species of ducks have been domesticated: the Mallard and the Muscovy Duck .Domestic ducks are ducks that are raised for meat, eggs and down. Many ducks are also kept for show, as pets. Males are called drakes and females are called hens or ducks.
Ducks are birds. They are found everywhere in the world. Ducks are also called ‘Waterfowl’ because they are normally found in places where there is water like ponds, streams and rivers. These ducks have long and narrow beaks. Their narrow beaks are also covered will saw-like edges which help them to grab fish.
Species
There are (12) Twelve different types of ducks are in this wide world. All these ducks belong to the bird family.
Some species of ducks migrate or travel longs distances every year to breed. Ducks usually travel to warmer areas or where the water does not freeze so that they can rest and raise their young. Ducks are related to Geese and Swans. Ducks keep clean by preening themselves. Ducks do this by putting their heads in funny positions and putting their beaks into their body. Ducks sleep with half their brains awake. Ducks are more likely to sleep with one eye open. Ducks have very good vision and they see in colour. Ducks eat plants, seeds, grasses and other small insects and animals that they find on or under the water.
Ducks have webbed feet, which are designed for swimming. Their webbed feet act like paddles for the ducks. The reason ducks can swim in cold water. A duck has water-proof feathers. There is a special gland called the ‘Preen Gland’ near the ducks tail. This tiny gland produces oil which the duck uses to coat its feathers. The duck picks up the oil with its head and beak, and then smears it all over its body to make the outer feathers waterproof. Without this protective barrier, a ducks feathers would become watery.
ducks beak comes in different shapes and sizes. The shape of the beak and body determines how the duck will hunt for its food.
Life cycle
The life cycle of a duck includes nesting, brooding, breeding, molting, fall migration, winter migration, spring migration and pre-nesting. After a spending a winter season in the warm climates, these same ducks, not quite a year old, must return to the grounds where they were hatched and begin the life cycle anew, raising their own brood of baby ducklings.
Life span
Ducks can live from 2 – 20 years, depending on species and whether they are wild ducks or ducks in captivity. Its a fact that a wild duck can live 20 years or more. Domestic ducks typically live 10 – 15 years.
Female duck
A female duck is called a ‘hen’, they are identified by their very-dull, brown feathers. The females have dull-brown feathers so that they can hide from enemies and predators. They can also keep themselves in their nests and also protect their young. females lay large eggs,
Male duck
The males have colorful feathers to attract females. The males will now look like the female in color. Male ducks do not play any role in this nest-sitting or duckling-rearing. Instead, they often leave the nest area and travel to another location, going through a spring molting process. male ducks do not play any role in this nest-sitting or duckling-rearing. Instead, they often leave the nest area and travel to another location, going through a spring molting process.
Nesting and producing
Ducks usually look for a mate or partner in winter. Male ducks will attract the female ducks with their colourful feathers. The female ducks will then lead the male ducks to their breeding ground in spring. The breeding ground will usually be the place where the female duck was hatched. The female duck builds her nest with grass or reeds or even in a hole in a tree.Once the female lays 5 – 12 eggs, she will sit on her eggs to keep them warm so that they can hatch into ducklings. The eggs will hatch within 28 days normally.
Duck mother devotion
Duck mothers are devoted parents. Once they have found the perfect spot for their nest, they settle for an extended period. Male ducks do not play any role in this nest-sitting or duckling-rearing. Instead, they often leave the nest area and travel to another location, going through a spring molting process. As the incubator for the baby ducklings growing inside the eggs. After almost a month, the eggs will begin to hatch. The length of this process will depend upon the number of eggs.
During the nesting phase, ducks look for a safe place to make a nest. The nest is a small hollow in the ground usually surrounded by tall grass and close to water. The female duck lines it with down, and then lays eight to 10 eggs and incubates them until they hatch in about a month. Baby ducklings still need the warmth of their mother's down feathers, so she snuggles them each night to keep them warm.
During this stages, the mother must keep her ducklings warm, provide them with food, and protect them from predators. During the brood-rearing and post-breeding stages, the mother must keep her ducklings warm, provide them with food, and protect them from predators.
Duckling
Ducklings continue to stay within the protective shelter of their mother's supervision until they are 2 months old. During this time, they are able to swim and catch their own food. At 2 months ducklings can fly and are able to leave the protection of their mother's watchful eye. Ducklings are able to fly within 5 – 8 weeks. Their feathers develop very fast.
Here are types of ducks
Dabbling Duck
“Dabblers” are ducks that tip up in order to feed, rooting through shallow water and mud in search of plants and insects.
Diving Duck
Diving ducks are agile swimmers that dive far beneath the surface of the water in search of food, including fish, insects, and aquatic plants.
Eider duck
These types of sea-ducks are found in very northern, Arctic habitats. Eiders are well known for their lush down and its spectacular insulating properties that protect them from the harsh cold weather.
Goldeneye
With the named of brilliant yellow eyes, goldeneye duck species are diving ducks characterized by their big, round heads with an iridescent sheen. They nest in tree holes and have sharp black and white plumage.
Merganser
These are small, slim, streamlined ducks. Mergansers are the only types of ducks that regularly eat a large amount of fish and similar prey.
Perching Duck
The Muscovy, pink-eared, ducks are familiar and popular examples of perching ducks. They can regularly be found perching in trees along wooded waterways and other areas of trees for nesting, and they may nest dozens of feet above the ground.
Scoter
Scoters are bulky sea-ducks with dark plumage or feathers. They have brightly colored and patterned bills, though their body.
Sea Duck
Sea-ducks are marine birds. These bulky birds have special glands to help them tolerate saltwater without dehydrating.
Stiff tail duck
The stiff tails are diving ducks. They use as agile rudders while swimming. These ducks often have colorful bills and compact bodies. Stiff tail species include the ruddy duck, masked duck, and blue-billed duck.
Teal duck
Teals are dabbling ducks that often have brightly colored, distinctive plumage(feathers), including fantastic coloration.
Teals are popular with waterfowl hunters, and they are carefully managed as game birds.
Whistling-Duck
These ducks have long legs and necks. These birds are named for their shrill whistling calls, which can be heard for long distances and are often confused for other birds and animals. They may be mistaken for small geese.
Domestic Duck
They are often kept as pets. Domestic ducks have served as a source of food and income for people in many parts of the world. Ducks are a source of meat, eggs and down-feathers. Duck meat and duck eggs are good dietary sources of high quality protein, energy and several vitamins and minerals.
The Life Cycle of a Duck
An adult female duck builds her nest.
They use grass, reeds to building nest
or even make nest in a hole of the tree.
The female will lay 5-12 eggs.
The eggs will usually hatch within 28 days.
The duck will guard the ducklings from predators.
The ducklings can fly within 5-8 weeks.
They migrate to where the weather is warmer.
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