Duck | Definition, Types, & Facts (2024)

duck, any of various species of relatively small, short-necked, large-billed waterfowl. In true ducks—i.e., those classified in the subfamily Anatinae in the waterfowl family Anatidae—the legs are placed rearward, as in swans, rather than forward, as in geese. The result is a distinctive waddling gait. Most true ducks, including a few inaccurately called geese (e.g., sheldgeese) by reason of size and build, also differ from swans and true geese in the following characteristics: males (drakes) and females (hens or ducks) exhibit some degree of differentiation in plumage and in call, males molt twice annually, females lay large clutches of smooth-shelled rather than rough-shelled eggs, and both sexes have overlapping scales on the skin of the leg. The wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is believed to be the ancestor of all domestic ducks, and it has undergone numerous crossbreedings and mutations since it was first domesticated in China between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago.

All true ducks, except those in the shelduck group (the tribe Tadornini) and sea ducks (the tribes Mergini and Somateriini), mature in the first year and pair only for the season—unlike the late-maturing, life-mating true geese and swans. Ducks are generally divided into three major groups, dabbling (shallow-water), diving, and perching ducks, based on their characteristic behaviours. The mallard, a typical dabbling duck (any of about 38 species of Anas and about 5 species in other genera), is one of the most popular game birds.

Pintails, teals, shovelers, and wigeons are also dabbling ducks classified in Anas, in addition to the gadwall (A. strepera) and the black ducks (A. sparsa, A. rubripes, and A. superciliosa). Perching ducks such as the muscovy (Cairina moschata), the wood duck (Aix sponsa), and the mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) have long claws and are the most arboreal of ducks, often roosting in trees. The diving ducks (or sea ducks) include the greatest number of marine species, such as eiders (which are variously classified as members of the tribe Mergini or placed in a separate tribe Somateriini) and scoters (Melanitta), but they also include primarily freshwater species such as mergansers (Mergus and Lophodytes), the ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris), and the pochards (Aythya and Netta), including the scaups (A. marila, A. affinis, and A. novaeseelandiae) and the canvasback (A. valisineria). The redhead (A. americana), the goldeneye (Bucephala clangula and B. islandica), and the bufflehead (B. albeola) are diving ducks that live in fresh and salt water, depending on the season. Members of the stifftail group, typified by the blue-billed ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), are highly aquatic diving ducks characterized by legs set far toward the rear of the body. The whistling ducks (Dendrocygna), also called tree ducks, are not true ducks but are more closely related to geese and swans. Ducks that are not included in those larger groups are the freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa) and the torrent duck (Merganetta armata), as well as the shelducks (Tadorna) and the steamer ducks (Tachyeres). All ducks, geese, and swans belong to the family Anatidae. For a more detailed classification, see anseriform.

Duck raising is practiced on a limited scale in most countries, usually as a small-farm enterprise, although large flocks are bred in some areas of England, the Netherlands, and the United States. The American Poultry Association lists 17 domesticated breeds, divided into four classes: heavy, medium, lightweight, and bantam. The White Pekin, originally from China, is the most widely raised duck in the United States, because it is meaty, fast growing, and prodigious in egg production. Duck feathers are also of some value, though they have been largely replaced by synthetics. Eiderdown, the down feathers of the common eider (Somateria mollissima), are still of wide commercial value for use in luxury quilts and pillows.