The feathers of the male, or drake, have striking color patterns that are sometimes iridescent. A duck's front toes are fully webbed for swimming and diving; on land, a duck waddles because its legs are placed far apart and usually well to the rear. Many ducks are excellent fliers and migrate thousands of miles between breeding and winter grounds. The bill is typically spatulate and has a rounded tip. Lamellae (bony plates) or serrations (teethlike notches)on the inner edge of each jaw are used to strain small plants and animals from water or to hold food such as fish. Most ducks molt their BODY feathers twice annually.

Ducks are gregarious and exhibit such social behavior as greeting and threatening calls and take-off signals that integrate group flight patterns. Mating displays by the drakes are conspicuous and sometimes spectacular. Female ducks almost always quack, but the males usually have a variety of whistles, grunts, or coos. Because of imprinting, a particular form of learning, young ducklings follow the first moving object (usually the mother) they see after hatching and subsequently prefer it to other social objects.

Ducks are readily domesticated; surprisingly, however, only two species, the mallard and the Muscovy duck, have been bred by humans. The mallard was domesticated more than a thousand years ago in China, and more than ten varieties have been developed or meat, egg, or down production. The Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata, is a perching duck that was domesticated in South America, mainly for meat, before the arrival of the Spaniards; it is thought to have been brought to Europe by 1550.

Unlike other breeds of domesticated ducks, the male Muscovy duck has no curled feathers in the tail, a trait which usually distinguishes the male. There are no feathers on the face and the skin is bright red (at least when exposed to constant sunlight). The drake has a knob on his head which gives the appearance of a crest. The feathers come in variations of black, white and blue. Their means of communication is by hissing. They have both claws and webbed feet. If a Muscovy is mated to other breeds the offspring are sterile. The male Muscovy is twice the size of the female.

May 1992

Swimming in the Jacuzzi!

The Birdman of Alcatraz

Duckie aggressively defends his territory (his pen),
but is less assertive outside of his pen.

July 2000

More Photos of Duckie