A Day in the Life of a Duck

Migratory waterfowl, like ducks, are considered to be among the most transient creatures in the natural world. But, while ducks are often on the move, the daily routine of a duck can be very predictable because it is usually based around two activities: eating and resting (what a life!).

Ducks are most active just before sunrise through midmorning, and then again from late afternoon until well after sunset.

Before dawn, a duck’s day begins with a short flight to the day’s “safe haven” where it will rest, socialize, and preen.

On days when the weather is calm and sunny, ducks will rest and loaf about in wide open spaces, like large lakes, where they can warm themselves in the sun. On less pleasant, stormy days, ducks will seek shelter and will stick closer to covered areas, like embankments, near overhanging trees, and in grassy wetlands where they can easily get out of the water and rest.

Ducks will spend many hours a day in their resting locations. Then, with just a few hours remaining before sunset and after a busy day of taking it easy, ducks willtake flight again—this time to feed.

About 10% of a duck’s diet from caddisflies, water beetles, and other insects and the remaining 90% of a duck’s diet comes from plants, so shallow or dry wetlands offer prime locations for feeding, with insects, stems, roots, and seeds in abundance. Because ducks ingest seeds in their foraging locations, and pass most of them in their resting locations, they contribute greatly to the biodiversity of healthy wetlands.

Ducks will spend hours in the night foraging and flying from one patch of wetland to another, in search of new locations to feed. In addition to feeding and foraging throughout the night, most waterfowl migrations also take place at night. Studies show that migratory movements increase just after sunset, peak in the middle of the night, and decline in the wee hours of the morning, as ducks settle into their daytime hangouts.

After ducks have spent the night filling their bellies, they will complete their 24-hour routine by making their way back to their daytime hangout for another busy day of resting.

Sources

Image: Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/images/id-2166056/

Caldwell, Ian. “Magnificent Mallard Ducks.” Coastal Interpretive Center. https://interpretivecenter.org/magnificent-mallard-ducks/. Accessed 20 February 2022.

Cunningham, Shaun. “10 Tips for Dynamic Waterfowl Photos.” PopPhoto. https://www.popphoto.com/how-to/2008/12/10-tips-dynamic-waterfowl-photos/. Accessed 20 February 2022.

“Hinterland Who’s Who: Mallard.” Canadian Wildlife Federation. https://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/birds/mallard.html. Accessed 20 February 2022.

Humburg, Dale. “Ducks After Dark.” Ducks Unlimited. https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/ducks-after-dark. Accessed 20 February 2022.

Winlove, Tom. “Study Ducks’ Daily Habits for a Better Bag.” https://fishandgame.org.nz/assets/DMS/Hunting/Hunting-in-action/Study-ducks-daily-routines.pdf. Accessed 20 February 2022.

Young, Matt. “Think Like a Duck.” Ducks Unlimited. https://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-hunting-tips/think-like-a-duck. Accessed 20 February 2022.

© Holly Duffy, February 2022