Everyone is familiar with ducks. They’re common both in more wild areas as well as local parks, and farms. While everyone has some idea of what ducks are and what they do, not everyone is aware of some of the most intriguing facts about them. Here are five things that you may not know about ducks.

1. Some dive, while others dabble

While all ducks share similar features, they are extremely variable in their range, habitat they prefer, and even the way they find food. Ducks are separated into two different groups, the dabblers, and the divers. Dabbling entails tipping their heads in the water and putting their backend up in the air. They do this in shallow water where they can reach plants and even the substrate where aquatic invertebrates and other small creatures live. Mallards are one of the most common dabblers, and other common ducks like teals and pintails also fall into this category. As their name suggests, diving ducks actually dive all the way into the water to search for fish, mollusks, and anything else they can catch. Birds like mergansers, scoters, and ring-necked ducks fit into this category along with most other sea ducks that spend more time on oceans and large bodies of water. It’s worth noting that these ducks typically aren’t diving too deep but more like 6 feet or so. However, some like the Long-tailed Duck can dive as deep as 200 feet which is pretty impressive.

2. They’re waterproof

Considering all of the time ducks spend in oftentimes cold water it’s important that they’re able to stay warm, and an important part of staying warm is staying dry. Fortunately for ducks, they have a combination of adaptations that help with that. First, their feathers are structured similarly to velcro with tiny hooks that interlock and prevent water from getting in. Additionally, they have a layer of soft down for extra protection. The last and most important way that ducks keep water out is a waxy oil secreted by a gland near their tail that they constantly apply to their feathers by preening. All of these things allow even ducks that dive into the water to become waterproof and stay dry. 

3. Some nest in trees

People don’t usually think of ducks as birds that spend any time in trees, but there are several species that not only perch in trees but actually nest in trees too. There are many ducks that do this across the globe but in the US there are four specific species that use tree cavities and nest boxes regularly. These four are the Bufflehead, the BLack-belleid Whistling Duck, the Hooded Merganser, and most famously the wood duck. Wood Ducks are frequent nest box users around ponds and wetlands and sometimes even a little distance away from water. Nesting above ground means the ducklings have to handle a fall before they can make their way to the water, but fortunately, their light weight and fluffy down help prevent serious injuries.

4. Sometimes they can’t fly

I was shocked when I first learned this, but ducks go through a period of time after their breeding season where they molt and simply can’t fly for a span of about 4 to 5 weeks. This happens as the ducks completely change their feathers including their flight feathers and then have to wait for the new flight feathers to grow in. During this time the once bright colors of the male ducks switch into a much more subdued version that looks more like the females typical plumage. This helps them better camouflage during this time and is known as eclipse plumage. Obviously, not being able to fly makes ducks extremely vulnerable and as a result, ducks live a pretty low key life for these weeks. Staying as hidden as possible until they can once again take to the skies.

5. They have long migrations

Speaking of flying, ducks actually have some extreme migrations. Sure, some ducks don’t really migrate, looking at you local pond mallards, but others fly thousands of miles to and from their breeding areas. Northern Pintails are among some of the most notable long distance migrants among ducks with some of them going from Canada all the way south to Mexico and even South America. Other ducks like Harlequin Ducks, Eiders, and Scoters travel from the arctic to the coasts of the continental United States. Overall, for a bird that feels unremarkable when you see them out in a flooded field or pond, some of them certainly make a long journey to be there.

Ducks are highly variable and really interesting birds and there are so many more fascinating things about them to know that I didn’t even get to cover so maybe i’ll have to do another video about them. I hope you learned something that you didn’t know before. If you liked this video consider signing up for our email list to get updates on all things Badgerland Birding and as always thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.