Lecture on Ducks

General Information

• Ducks are waterfowl belonging to the family Anatidae.
• Smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese.
• Not a monophyletic group as swans and geese are not considered ducks.
• Found in both freshwater and seawater.

Classification

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Anseriformes
• Superfamily: Anatoidea
• Family: Anatidae
• Ducks divided into several subfamilies and tribes with disagreements among taxonomists regarding classification.

Common Confusions

• Sometimes confused with loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots.
• Word "duck" comes from Old English dūce meaning "diver".

Specific Types

• Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola): A type of duck.
• Male ducks generally called "drakes" and females just "duck" or "hen" in ornithology.

Physical Characteristics

• Elongated, broad body; long neck compared to geese and swans.
• Broad bill with serrated pectens for filter-feeding.
• Strong, webbed feet set back for swimming.
• Flight requires fast, continuous wing strokes.
• Diving ducks rounded, heavier than dabbling ducks.
• Moulting leads to temporary flightlessness.

Distribution and Habitat

• Cosmopolitan distribution, found on all continents except Antarctica.
• Some species migratory, particularly in temperate and Arctic regions.

Feeding

• Diet includes grasses, aquatic plants, insects, small amphibians, and molluscs.
• Dabbling ducks feed on surface; diving ducks forage underwater.
• Bread is harmful to ducks and pollutes waterways.

Breeding and Behavior

• Typically monogamous for a year; larger species may form longer pair bonds.
• Breeding once a year, nests built before breeding.
• Mother ducks are protective but may abandon ducklings in certain conditions.

Communication

• Female mallards and some species "quack"; most ducks have a range of vocalizations.
• Urban myth debunked: Duck quacks do echo.

Predators

• Vulnerable to birds of prey, large fish, crocodilians, and other aquatic predators.
• Adult ducks are fast fliers but vulnerable on water.

Hunting and Human Interaction

• Hunted since prehistoric times for food, sport, and as a cultural activity.
• Duck hunting involves shooting or trapping using decoys.

Domestication

• Farmed for meat, eggs, feathers (down).
• Most domestic varieties descend from the mallard.
• Call duck bred as a decoy for hunting.

Cultural Significance

• Ducks often appear in coats of arms.
• Considered humorous in various cultures, featured in jokes and cartoons (e.g., Donald Duck, Daffy Duck).
• Ducks are mascots for sports teams such as the Anaheim Ducks hockey team.

Additional Information

• Ducks play roles in heraldry, are subjects of cultural references, and have been influenced by myths and humorous portrayals.