Duck
Duck is the common name for a number of types of bird in the family Anatidae. The ducks are divided between several different subfamilies of the Anatidae; see that article for a full listing. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than their relatives the swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh and salt water.
Ducks exploit a variety of food sources such as grasses, grains and water plants, fish, insects, and the like.
The males (drakes) of northern species often have showy plumage, but this is moulted in summer to give a more female-like appearance, the "eclipse" plumage.
Some species of duck, mainly those breeding in the temperate and arctic northern hemisphere, are migratory, but others are not. Some, particularly in Australia where rainfall is patchy and erratic, are nomadic, seeking out the temporary lakes and pools that form after localised heavy rain.
Ducks have many domestic uses, being farmed for their meat, eggs, and feathers and down. In particular, eiderdown is notable for being shed by wild eider ducks rather than being plucked. In many areas, ducks of various species are also hunted for food or sport.
Ducks should not be confused with several types of unrelated birds with similar forms, such as loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots.
See also
Fictional, anthropomorphized ducks:
Referenced By
Anser | Branta | Cajun | Cajun cuisine | Cajuns | Chen (genus) | Extinct birds | Funny word | Goose | Inherently funny word | Inherently funny words | List of North American birds: non-passerines | Masanobu Fukuoka | North American birds | Onomatopeia | Onomatopoeia | Onomatopoeic | University of Oregon | WWT Washington
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