How do ducks live and what do they eat in the wild?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Many young naturalists just beginning to study wildlife often feed bread to ducks swimming in a nearby pond. At the same time, most of them do not even realize that instead of taking care of the birds, they cause irreparable harm to these waterfowl. After reading this article, you will find out what ducks eat in the wild.

Habitat

Since mallards are considered the most common in our country, we will talk about them. Those who want to know the name of the grass that the duck eats will probably be interested in what conditions these birds live in. The traditional habitat of the wild mallard is considered to be shallow open water bodies of artificial or natural origin. These can be rates, rivers, lakes or ponds, around which thickets of reeds or bushes grow.

Wild waterfowl ignore rocky and bare shores as there is no suitable nesting site. In winter, mallards migrate to regions with a warm climate. However, they maylive peacefully throughout the year on ice-free waters.

Lifestyle features

Before we move on to what wild ducks eat, it is necessary to understand the basic nuances of their lifestyle. These water birds live in the northern part of America, Europe and Asia. In October-November, the birds, huddled in huge flocks, fly off to warmer climes. The favorite wintering places are such countries as Italy, Greece and Spain. Colonies of mallards that have arrived in southern water bodies often stretch over several square kilometers. The sound of such a flock taking off is vaguely reminiscent of the sound of the surf.

In February or March, wild ducks go to nest in northern and temperate latitudes. Interestingly, mallards rarely appear in open water. Most often they try to hide in the thick of aquatic vegetation. These birds love to roam the shallows and dig in the mud. The mallard has well-developed sense organs. These cautious, smart and cunning birds are able to adequately assess the circumstances and are quite easily domesticated.

A few words about nesting

Those who want to figure out what ducks eat will do well to find out that the birds that have arrived at the nesting pairs. Mating on the water is accompanied by loud cries. Females lay eggs in a secluded dry place. Simple nests, built from dry leaves and carelessly twisted stems, are covered with duck down.

One female lays eight to sixteenoblong eggs of a grayish-white hue, in appearance no different from poultry eggs. Hatching takes 24-28 days. Females selflessly hatch their offspring, leaving the nest only in case of emergency. Hatched chicks literally the next day go to the water. Young animals grow quite quickly and begin to fly by the age of six weeks.

What does the diet of waterfowl consist of?

Those who are interested in what ducks eat will not hurt to know that the weight of these birds directly depends on the amount of food available to them. As a rule, they are forced to take care of their own food. Their diet consists of small amphibians, insects and aquatic plants.

It should be noted that ducks with the same appetite eat frogs, worms, small fish, snails, grasshoppers, duckweed and sedge. Often they make nightly raids on nearby farmers' fields where cereals are grown. As for the amount of food, females incubating offspring require twice as much food. It is worth noting that in the summer, the basis of the bird's diet is vegetable feed. At this time, they feed on the fruits, leaves and stems of plants.

What can you feed wild ducks?

Waterfowl living in close proximity to human habitation are often fed by humans. In order not to cause irreparable harm to the he alth of waterfowl, it is important to know what geese, ducks and other inhabitants eat.natural and artificial reservoirs. Those who really want to help birds need to remember that they can be fed with grated cheese, oatmeal, soft vegetables and fruits. All of these products are especially useful in the spring, when females are incubating chicks.

In addition, there is another list, which includes the so-called neutral products that can not harm ducks, but do not bring them much benefit. These include small fish, cabbage and potatoes.

What should not be fed to wild ducks?

Paradoxically, it is strictly forbidden to feed birds with white bread. It does not contain any ingredients valuable for poultry. This product fills the bird's stomach, creating a false feeling of fullness and forcing the duck to stop looking for more wholesome food. If, despite the prohibitions, you still want to treat the ducks with bread, leave it on the shore. Otherwise, you risk polluting the reservoir and provoking the death of some of its inhabitants. Other foods not recommended include milk, peanuts, and any food that contains saturated fat.

For those who do not know how much ducks eat, it will be interesting that birds should not be given too much food. This is due to the fact that the feathered inhabitants of reservoirs, accustomed to regular feeding, begin to partially lose the instinct to search for food. In addition, such birds refuse to fly to warmer climes in a timely manner and often die in the winter cold.