Species of ducks: 25 breed names and how they look, their descriptions and habitats

There are more than a hundred species of ducks in the world. Most waterfowl lead a migratory lifestyle, feed on fish. The meat and eggs of migratory birds are considered a delicacy. But due to active hunting, some species are on the verge of extinction. The family of ducks includes long-necked shelducks, diving divers, toothed mergansers and steamboat ducks that cannot fly. Wild breeds are tamed, have advantages over domestic relatives and disadvantages.

Mallard

A common breed of duck found on all continents except the cold poles.Mallards are characterized by sexual demorphism: Female

ColorBright, shiny green head and neck Belly Beak

	Chilling grey-red
White-grey	Dark
Yellow	Grey

Drakes and ducks have the same color of paws - red or orange.

Pros and conscan be grown at home;ducklings quickly gain weight - up to a kilogram in 2 months.shy, difficult to hunt down;cannot feed in deep water.

With leisurely feeding mallards get used to people.

I like 1 I don't like 1

Mall duck with brood

Female mallards are engaged in breeding chicks. Males guard the nests until the clutch appears, and then go to molt.

Pros and conschicks quickly become independent;females take care of their own and other offspring.nests in hollows are destroyed by fur and reptile predators.

Ducks nest in hollow trees, rarely in grass or near rocks, where martens, snakes and raccoon dogs prey on their eggs.

I like it I don't like it1

Yellow-nosed or black mallard

The duck differs from the common mallard in its black beak with a yellow end.

Bird habitats: China, India, Japan, Australia, New Guinea.

Pros and consnest near human habitation;get along with other breeds of ducks.the beak is weaker than that of the common mallard.

The yellow-nosed duck variety is widespread in Korea, Japan and western China. It is rare in other territories.

I like1 Dislike

Gray duck

The river species lives in North America, Eurasia and the North Atlantic islands.

Pros and consaverage weight - 1 kilogram;a popular object for commercial hunting.from a distance they look like mallards and pintails.

When viewed closely, drakes are distinguished by a small pockmarked pattern of plumage on the wings, and females by black transverse stripes on the body.

I like it I don't like it

Pintail

Features of plumage of males - brown color of the head. Common external signs of ducks are gray-white plumage and a pockmarked pattern on the body, a thin neck and a sharp tail.

Pros and consa common species of ducks, not found only in the Arctic Ocean and in the South Asian deserts;sociable birds gather in numerous groups;nest in the grass, the eggs become the prey of predators.

Females dig holes in the ground with their beaks, sometimes in the steppes, away from water.

I like it I don't like it 2

Sviaz

Males differ from brown-white females in their copper-colored head and gray body.

Birds live on densely vegetated coasts, rivers and lakes in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.

Pros and consvaluable meat;largest population in the world.fly fast, hard to shoot mid-flight.

Sviyazi is a popular hunting trophy.

I like it 2 I don't like it

Teal cracker

The habitat of small teals is the center of Eurasia, and the wintering grounds are the coasts of Africa. Males differ from females in winter by white markings on their heads. General color - gray-white.

During the mating season, ducks make a special crackling sound, similar to the creaking of an empty tree trunk. Ducks nest in the shade near shallow and swampy waters.

Pros and consare of interest to ornithologists;allowed to shoot.population instability;small size.

Teal crackers are only suitable for sport hunting.

I like1 Dislike

Red-nosed dive, or red dive

A variety of migratory ducks with a red head and a white body with a small gray speck. The red-nosed pochard is common in the northern United States and Eurasia. The northern bird winters on the coasts of Africa and the Mediterranean.

Pros and conshigh quality meat;well adapted to life in deep waters.small size;low egg production.

Red puffins are rarely bred in captivity. More often they become objects of commercial hunting.

I like it I don't like it

Baer Dive

A variety of dark-coloured, white-sided diving ducks found in Manchuria, North Korea and the far east of Russia.

Pros and conssociability and calm character;females carefully raise chicks.species on the brink of extinction.

Baer's dive population has declined critically due to swamp drainage and shooting. Hunting them is prohibited.

I like it I don't like it

Crested Duck

Black ducks with shiny plumage and a white belly live in forest-tundra zones. Males have a tuft hanging from the back of their heads.

Pros and consequip floating nests, protecting masonry from terrestrial predators;settle near human habitation.low quality meat.

The tufted duck is included in the list of objects for sport hunting.

I like it I don't like it

Black sea blubber

The color of males includes black, white, pockmarked pattern on the wings and a green tint on the head. In females, instead of black, brown prevails.

Pros and conshigh value of meat.becomes infected with helminths;weak immunity to bird flu.

The world's bird population is not declining, but they often die when fishing with nets.

I like1 Dislike

Common goldeneye

A distinctive feature of birds is their high triangular head and waddling gait. Males differ from females in a black beak, and during the mating season - in a green sheen of head plumage. Blue-billed females are gray-brown.

From their native North America, the goldeneyes spread across the northern hemisphere. In addition to plants and animal food, they eat roots and seeds.

Pros and consweigh more than a kilogram;suitable for hunting and artificial breeding.in some countries the conservation status of the bird is "rare".

The global population of wild goldeneyes is not a concern.

I like it I don't like it

Kamenushka

Compact duck with dark plumage. Males have white and red stripes on their heads, and reddish flanks. The females are white-brown. Stones are found in Kamchatka, on Lake Baikal, in Greenland, Iceland.

Pros and consunusual bright color.have no commercial value.

Indigenous people of Siberia do not hunt pebbles because of superstitions.

I like it I don't like it

Sailor

Ducks wear black and white plumage in winter. After molting in late summer, long-tailed ducks turn into inconspicuous birds with a brown head and white sides. Males molt three times a year. Distribution zone - near the polar circle.

Pros and consthe main game bird in the tundra.unpleasant smell of meat in seaside birds.

On the hunt, ducks are shot during the flight.

I like it I don't like it

Savka

White-brown ducks are common in the Urals, the Caucasus and Siberia, but are not found in the northern regions and the Leningrad region.

Pros and consthe chicks hatch even if the eggs were not incubated for the full time.disappearing view.

Ducks are protected in the West Siberian and Caucasian reserves.

I like it I don't like it

Black Turpan

Turpan ducks live in the north of Karelia and Kazakhstan, on the sea coast in Estonia.

Pros and consheaviness;object of commercial hunting.low egg production.

Black ducks weigh 1.7 kilograms.

There are 5-8 eggs in the clutch. Birds are hunted during spring and autumn migration.

I like it I don't like it

Krokhal

A species of waterfowl with a long, serrated beak is called a toothed duck.

Pros and consvaluable down and skin.meat with an unpleasant odor.

Kerganis - a separate genus, which includes a rare crested merganser. It should be distinguished from grebe ducks with unusual tufted ears.

The speckled patterns on the wings of mergansers resemble mallards. But you can recognize them by their red beak. Mallards are yellow-billed ducks.

I like1 Dislike

Long-nosed Merganser

Small birds of pockmarked gray color with a crest live in the northern tundra forests.

Pros and consvaluable nesting down.poor quality of meat;closed nature.

Meganeses aggressively defend nests from predators.

I like it I don't like it 2

Grosser

The largest variety of toothy ducks.

Pros and conssoft fluff;delicious eggs.wrecking on the reservoirs of fish farms;the meat smells badly of fat.

Shy birds are difficult to track, so they are of little interest to hunters.

I like it I don't like it

Ogary

A bright bird with red-orange plumage on the wings and body, brighter towards the head. The wings and tail are outlined in black. In males, a black thin "collar" appears on the neck during the mating season. Ogari live in Asia, Africa, in the west of Europe.

Pros and consfatness, weight reaches 1.6 kilograms;the ability to live far from water - in the mountains and steppesdrive other ducks from the ponds.

Red ducks are fish-eating birds, but can eat insects and plants.

Ogary is easy to tame, but in the mating season they are very aggressive even with relatives.

I like1 Dislike

Sledo

Habitats of black-headed ducks with white wings - Transbaikalia, B altic, Crimean steppes. The external features of the shelducks are an elongated neck and legs, like those of geese.

Pros and consdrakes guard hatched ducklings;in clutches there are up to fifty eggs.paucity.

Shelds gather in communities and sometimes lay their eggs in a common nest. The meat of the shelduck, shot in autumn, has a good taste.

I like1 Dislike

Mandarin duck

Orange-headed ducks are male Chinese ducks that are also distinguished by multi-colored plumage on their backs. The females are grey, white and brown. Tangerines live in China, Korea, Japan and in the north of Russia. Birds nest in trees.

Pros and constake off easily due to low weight;suitable for home breeding.need daily bathing;whimsical in food.

In captivity, females sometimes refuse to incubate eggs. In winter, the birds need to organize swimming in a pool of warm water and avoid hypothermia.

I like it I don't like it1

Caroline duck

The colorful birds are related to Mandarin ducks but originated in North America. Males are distinguished by a voluminous crest. Their color is green with white stripes on the head, black on the back and purple on the chest. Females are white and beige.

Pros and consdecorative;adapt to life in captivity.plumage deteriorates from heat.

Caroline duck adorns the ponds of European parks. The difference between carolins and ducks with ears is a falling tuft. Eared species have feathers sticking up. With artificial breeding, the temperature in the duck house should not exceed 5 degrees Celsius.

I like it I don't like it

Canadian

A variety of goose ducks lives in large numbers on the North American continent. In Europe, its range is limited to the Aleutian Islands. Color - black and white. The head and neck are dark, and the body is light. The Aleut variety has a white edging on the neck.

Pros and consvaluable meat;maximum weight - 6 kilograms.hunting is allowed only in Canada and the USA.

A small population of the Aleutian Islands is protected.

I like it I don't like it

Coot

Long-legged duck with a white head and a black body lives in the South Siberian forest-steppe, on the sea coasts of northern Africa, the Canary Islands. The external feature of the birds is a white mark on the forehead.

Pros and conshigh quality meat;object of sports and commercial hunting.take away food from swans;are infected with helminths.

Coots carry ticks and toxoplasmosis pathogens.

I like1 DislikeFinal ranking tablewigeon2CootoneYellow-nosed or black mallardoneTeal cracklingoneshelduckoneOgaroneBlack seaoneMerganseroneSavkaCanadiancaroline duckbig merganserBlack TurpanMallardMoryankaCommon GogolCrested DuckBaer DiveRed-nosed dive, or red divegray duckKamenushkaMallard duck with brood-onetangerine-oneLong-nosed merganser-2Pintail-2

Recommended