Ducks are fascinating creatures belonging to the waterfowl family Anatidae and play a crucial role in their aquatic habitats. As omnivorous birds, they possess a specialized diet based on the plants and animals found in or near water bodies. Feeding ducks may seem like an innocent activity, but providing them with the wrong foods, such as bread and crackers, can negatively impact their health. This is also true for other aquatic birds like loons, coots, divers, and grebes, who require a balanced diet of protein, fiber, and vitamins.
In this article, we will explore the varied diet of ducks, covering their hunting and foraging habits. We will also delve into the differences between the diets of wild ducks and domestic ducks. Additionally, we will briefly discuss the nutritional needs of baby ducks. So let’s immerse ourselves in the world of these captivating waterfowl and discover what ducks eat.
What Do Ducks Like to Eat?
Ducks are known for their omnivorous eating habits, consuming both plants and small creatures. They typically eat between 6 and 7 ounces of food each day, varying their diet according to their species and habitat. Out of the numerous options, there are fifteen primary categories of foods that ducks enjoy the most:
- Grasses: These provide essential nutrients and are easily accessible for ducks.
- Aquatic plants: Ducks commonly feed on these for their nutritional value.
- Fish: A good source of protein, ducks prey on small fish found in their habitats.
- Insects: Among the live foods they eat, insects are a staple in their diet.
- Worms: Ducks relish worms for their high protein content.
- Bugs: They help in fulfilling a duck’s dietary needs.
- Mollusks: Ducks consume these for their calcium and protein requirements.
- Small amphibians: Frogs and newts add variety and nutrition to a duck’s diet.
- Crabs: Ducks forage for crabs in coastal areas for additional nutrients.
- Seeds: Ducks eat these as a primary source of carbohydrates and protein.
- Berries: Ducks enjoy them as a sweet energy source.
- Grains: This category provides ducks with essential calories for maintaining energy levels.
- Nuts: Ducks snack on nuts during foraging for added nutritional benefits.
- Roots: They contribute a crucial part of the duck’s plant-based diet.
- Shrimp: These are occasional treats that supplement a duck’s nutrition.
Although ducks have diverse food preferences, the items listed above form a balanced and nutritional diet for them.
How Do Ducks Forage and Hunt For Food?
Ducks have adapted their senses to excel in aquatic environments, which allows them to search for food efficiently. With exceptional sight, they can see details from a distance as well as a wide range of colors, even ultraviolet radiation. However, they have limited night vision. Some ducks, like mergansers, depend heavily on their sight to chase fast prey underwater.
Touch is another essential sense for ducks when foraging and hunting. They use their bills to explore grass, mud, and the bottoms of ponds and lakes for food. Sensitive touch receptors help ducks locate edible plants and grasses. Although ducks have fewer taste buds than humans (around 400), they can distinguish between preferred and repellant tastes in grasses and other foods.
While ducks also have the ability to smell and hear, these senses mainly serve to communicate and avoid predators, rather than locate food.
When it comes to feeding and foraging, ducks are versatile and can adapt to various environments:
- Dabbling ducks feed on algae, floating vegetation, and upend to reach plants beneath the water surface.
- Diving ducks swim down to access rooted plants growing deeper in the water column.
- Ducks also eat berries, grass, roots, tubers, insects, snails, and small fish.
In summary, ducks primarily rely on their keen sight and touch to forage and hunt for food in diverse aquatic habitats, while their taste, smell, and hearing senses play a secondary role.
What Do Ducks Eat in the Wild?
Wild ducks have diverse diets, depending on their species, environment, adaptations, and seasonal availability. Ducks can be primarily herbivores, consuming various plants and seeds, or lean more towards a carnivorous diet, focusing on fish, mollusks, and amphibians. The shape of a duck’s bill can offer clues about its preferred food; for instance, thin serrated bills are ideal for catching fish, while flat, rounded bills are suited for digging up plants and insects.
Several types of aquatic plants are popular among ducks, such as wild rice, celery, coontail, duckweed, pondweed, water hyacinth, fairy moss, and milfoil. They also enjoy grains like millet and corn. Insects and bugs on the menu include worms, grubs, mosquitoes, beetles, and grasshoppers. When it comes to mollusks, ducks consume slugs, snails, and various shellfish like crabs, clams, and mussels. Amphibian prey for ducks includes frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders. Common small fish form part of their diet too, such as minnows, graylings, and guppies, while larger ducks can eat brown trout or chub.
Wild ducks also need grit in their diet. They ingest dirt and rocks to help grind and digest their food.
Duck species can have vastly different diets. Dabbling ducks, for example, feed near the water surface, mainly eating plants, insects, and worms. In contrast, diving ducks, like mergansers, prefer consuming fish, insects, mollusks, roots, and tubers [source].
In summary, ducks exhibit a wide range of dietary preferences based on their species and habitat, making it essential to understand their specific needs in the wild.
What Do Pet Ducks Eat?
Pet ducks typically consume pellet or crumbled diets specifically designed for waterfowl, which provide essential nutrients for their well-being. Although ducks can eat pellet food meant for parrots or chickens, it’s essential to avoid medicated formulas, as they may contain toxic substances to ducks.
In addition to their main diet, pet ducks can enjoy treats but ensure these account for no more than 5-10% of their total diet. Safe treat options include:
- Vegetables: Carrots, peas, cucumber, kale, and broccoli
- Non-citrus fruits: Watermelon, berries, and apple slices
- Grains: Corn, uncooked oats, rice, sunflower seeds, and cracked corn
- Leafy greens: Spinach and lettuce
It’s crucial to feed ducks a balanced diet, which can vary depending on age, gender, and whether they lay eggs. For instance, male ducks and non-laying females need around 15% protein in their diets, while laying ducks require 16% to 17% protein. Ducks of all ages and types should receive sufficient calcium and niacin. However, laying ducks might need extra calcium for quality egg production, which can be added through oyster shells in their feed, though this may not be necessary with high-quality feed.
Please avoid the following harmful food items for ducks:
- Processed foods: Crackers, bread, chips, cookies, cakes, donuts, popcorn, and cereal
- Vegetables and fruits: Onions, citrus fruits, and avocado
- Others: Chocolate, salted or flavored nuts, and raw or dried beans
By maintaining a friendly and nurturing environment and providing a well-rounded diet, your pet ducks will remain healthy and content.
What Do Baby Ducks Eat?
Baby ducks have unique nutritional needs during their early stages of life. Initially, ducklings rely on the nutrients in their egg yolk for nourishment. As they grow, their diet mainly consists of algae, insects, and worms found in the wild.
It’s crucial to provide hatchlings with feed containing 18% to 20% protein, which is more than an adult duck’s requirement. Feeding ducklings a waterfowl starter is ideal as it offers the right balance of protein, niacin, and other essential nutrients. In case waterfowl starter is unavailable, a chick starter can be used as an alternative.
After a few days, the duckling’s diet can gradually transition to standard feed. In addition to their main feed, treats can be offered in moderation. These treats may include:
- Non-citrus fruits
- Vegetables
- Grasses
- Weeds
- Insects, such as mealworms and other wild birds
It’s important to monitor the ducklings’ diet and ensure that they receive proper nutrition to support their growth and development.