Ducks in their natural environments exhibit diverse and opportunistic feeding habits, consuming a wide array of food sources. Their diet is largely determined by what is readily available in their specific habitat and changes throughout the year, allowing them to thrive in various ecosystems.
Primary Wild Foods
Aquatic vegetation forms a significant part of their diet, including algae, duckweed, pondweed, wild rice, wild celery, coontail, and widgeon grass. Ducks consume different parts of these plants, such as leafy portions, seeds, roots, and tubers. Terrestrial plants also contribute to their sustenance, with ducks grazing on grasses, foraging for grains in agricultural fields, and eating berries, seeds, and acorns.
Invertebrates are another important food source, providing essential protein for ducks. This includes a variety of insects like water beetles, dragonfly nymphs, mosquito larvae, midges, and grasshoppers. Ducks also feed on worms, snails, slugs, mollusks, and small crustaceans such as freshwater shrimp. Some species may opportunistically consume small fish or amphibians, particularly mergansers, which have specialized bills for catching fish.
How Diet Changes
A duck’s diet varies considerably based on its species, the specific geographic location, and the prevailing season. Dabbling ducks, such as Mallards and Northern Pintails, primarily feed in shallow waters by tipping their heads down to reach food at or near the surface. Their diet often includes aquatic plants and seeds, along with insects and their larvae. Diving ducks, like Canvasbacks and Scaups, are adapted for deeper waters, propelling themselves underwater to find mollusks, crustaceans, submerged aquatic vegetation, and small fish.
Seasonal changes significantly influence food availability, leading to shifts in a duck’s diet. During spring and summer, when insects and aquatic invertebrates are abundant, ducks often increase their protein intake, which is particularly important for breeding females for egg production. As autumn and winter approach, and insect populations decline, their diet typically shifts towards carbohydrate-rich foods such as seeds, grains, and acorns. Ducks in agricultural areas may also forage on waste grains like corn, rice, and wheat during colder months.
Foods to Avoid Feeding Ducks
Feeding wild ducks human foods can be detrimental to their health and the environment. Common items like bread, crackers, chips, and sugary foods offer minimal nutritional value and can lead to serious deficiencies. Ducks may fill up on these “empty calories” instead of foraging for their natural, nutrient-rich foods, potentially causing malnutrition. A diet high in inappropriate foods can also contribute to conditions like “angel wing,” a deformity that impairs flight.
Beyond nutritional issues, uneaten human food left in waterways can rot, leading to water pollution and promoting harmful algal blooms. This also attracts pests like rats, which can spread diseases to both ducks and humans. Certain human foods are directly toxic to ducks:
- Avocado (due to persin)
- Citrus fruits (which can interfere with calcium absorption)
- Onions and garlic (containing thiosulfate that damages red blood cells)
- Raw potatoes and green tomatoes (containing solanine)
- Rhubarb leaves (containing oxalic acid)
Moldy foods should also be avoided, as they can cause fatal lung infections in ducks.