12 Different Types of Ducks With Examples

Ducks are aquatic birds that belong to the Anatidae family, which also includes geese and swans. There are around 120 different species of ducks in the world, exhibiting an astonishing variety in size, shape, color, behavior, and habitat. Ducks have long been domesticated for their meat, eggs, and feathers. However, there are still many wild duck species that migrate across continents and provide an essential link in wetland ecosystems.

In this article, we will explore 12 of the most popular and distinctive types of ducks, along with examples, photos, and interesting facts about each species. Understanding the diversity of ducks helps one appreciate their beauty and importance in nature.

Muscovy Duck

The Muscovy duck is a large duck species native to Mexico, Central, and South America. It is the only domesticated duck species that is not derived from the Mallard.

Some key facts about Muscovy ducks:

They can grow up to 26 inches long and weigh up to 18 pounds, making them one of the largest duck species. The males are about a third larger than females.
Muscovy ducks are blackish with bright red facial skin called a caruncle. The caruncle enlarges in the breeding season.
They have sharp claws on their feet which help them perch on tree branches. This is unusual for waterfowl.
Muscovy ducks hiss and have a puffing display when threatened instead of quacking. The males make wheezy trill sounds.
They have been bred for meat and eggs since pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Today they are popular farm ducks worldwide due to their lean meat.
Wild Muscovy ducks roost in tree cavities and nest near ponds and streams from Mexico to Argentina.

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A male Muscovy duck with its distinctive red caruncle face.

Wood Duck

The wood duck is a North American dabbling duck known for its beautiful multi-colored plumage. It is also called the Carolina duck.

Fun facts about wood ducks:

Male wood ducks have elegant crested heads with white throat stripes and brilliant feather patterns in red, purple, green and bronze.
Females are mottled brown and grey, with a distinctive white eye-ring. Their plumage provides good camouflage when nesting in a tree cavity.
Wood ducks nest in hollow trees near water. The ducklings can jump down from heights of over 50 feet without injury when they fledge!
They have strong claws that help them cling to tree branches and ascend their nesting cavities.
Wood ducks dabble in shallow water to catch insects, crustaceans and plants. They prefer swamps, shallow lakes and marshes.
Their population declined in the 20th century due to loss of wetland habitat but rebounded with conservation measures like nest boxes.

A male wood duck displaying its brilliant plumage colors and crest.

Mandarin Duck

The mandarin duck is a small perching duck native to East Asia. The males are considered to be among the most colorful and ornate ducks in the world.

Fun mandarin duck facts:

The male has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye, reddish face and whiskers. The body plumage is a mix of purple, orange, green, white and blue.
The female is grey-brown with white around the eye. She incubates the eggs in dens or tree hollows.
Mandarin ducks can perch on branches and cliffs, unlike most waterfowl. Their feet have no webbing.
They usually forage for plants, insects, fish and snails in pairs or small groups, occasionally diving underwater.
Native to China and Japan, mandarin ducks are now found worldwide in parks and zoos due to escapes and releases. Introduced populations exist in Europe and North America.
They are depicted in traditional Asian art as a symbol of fidelity and marriage.

A male mandarin duck displaying its ornate plumage.

Mallard

The mallard is the most familiar and widespread duck species. It is the ancestral parent of most domestic ducks.

Interesting mallard facts:

Male mallards have an iridescent green head and grey body with a brown breast and white neck ring. The famous “quack quack” sound is made by females.
Mallards inhabit ponds, marshes, rivers and parks across North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa. They are migratory and form flocks of thousands.
Omnivorous mallards dabble for food at the water’s surface, upending to eat algae, plants and small animals.
Mallard populations remain healthy due to their adaptability. They thrive around humans in urban areas.
Mallards form breeding pairs only until the female lays eggs, after which the male leaves. The female incubates the eggs and rears the young alone.
Domesticated mallard varieties include the Pekin duck, the domestic white duck and Indian Runner ducks.

A male and female mallard floating in a pond.

Northern Pintail

The northern pintail is a large, slender duck with a distinctive pointed tail. It breeds across northern latitudes and migrates south for the winter.

Some cool facts about northern pintails:

The male has a chocolate brown head and white breast and neck. Its grey speckled body and long black central tail feathers give rise to its name “pintail”.
Females are mottled brown with a lighter brown head and brown speckled tail. Their camouflaged plumage protects the nest.
Pintails have elongated necks and a swift, arrow-shaped flight profile. They can dive a short distance underwater to feed.
Their narrow, tapering bill is specially adapted for surface skimming and eating aquatic plants and small organisms.
Northern pintails breed in wetlands and tundra from Alaska to Russia. They winter south across the U.S., Europe and Asia in fresh and saltwater habitats.
Populations are declining due to wetland drainage and degradation. Pintails are considered a species of concern in North America.

A pair of northern pintails floating in a marsh wetland.

Canvasback

The canvasback is a large diving duck named for the male’s striking white canvas-colored back and red head. It is North America’s fastest flying duck.

Interesting canvasback facts:

Males have a rusty red head and neck, black breast, grey sides and a distinct white back. Females are light brown with a paler head and neck.
Canvasbacks use their long black bill to dive for food up to 20 feet underwater. They eat aquatic plants, insects, mollusks and crustaceans.
They nest in colonies near prairie lakes and marshes. Females make nests from reeds on the ground, hidden among vegetation.
Canvasback populations declined in the early 20th century but recovered after conservation measures. Their main threat today is wetland degradation and loss.
They form huge migratory flocks and winter along the Atlantic coast, the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific, foraging in lakes, rivers and estuaries.
Canvasbacks are swift fliers, attaining speeds over 70 mph. They have rapid, shallow wingbeats and take flight quickly.

A pair of canvasbacks floating together, showing off the male’s distinctly white back.

Harlequin Duck

The harlequin duck is a small sea duck that breeds along fast moving streams and rivers in northwestern North America and Iceland. It has very colorful plumage.

Some interesting facts about harlequin ducks:

The male has a slate blue body, chestnut red head and white spots. The female is mottled brown.
Harlequins migrate in winter to coastal waters of North America and Europe. They are agile swimmers and dive underwater to catch crustaceans and mollusks.
They nest along rocky banks of mountain rivers, with the female carefully choosing a site close to rushing water. The ducklings jump into the torrent within a day of hatching!
Harlequin ducks fly low and fast across water. Mated pairs and families travel together, flying in single file formations.
Their populations are declining due to habitat loss and changing river conditions caused by human activity like dams. They are considered an endangered species in certain areas.
Native American legends say the harlequin’s colorful plumage comes from painting its body with the blood of its enemies.

A female harlequin duck with a juvenile paddling in the sea.

Long-Tailed Duck

The long-tailed duck breeds in Arctic regions and has a long tail in the breeding season. It migrates south to winter along northern coasts.

Some cool long-tailed duck facts:

Males have black and white plumage with a pink breast and very long black tail feathers. Females are mottled brown. Their winter tail is shorter.
They nest near lakes and ponds on Arctic tundra. Females line their nests with down feathers and lay 6-10 eggs.
Long-tailed ducks are champion divers, feeding on mussels, crustaceans and small fish up to 60 feet deep underwater. They use their wings to “fly” underwater.
These social ducks form large flocks during winter migration and on their coastal wintering grounds all along the Northern Hemisphere.
Native communities in Alaska and Canada hunted them for food and used their feathers for insulation.
Their global populations are declining rapidly due to threats on their breeding grounds and marine pollution.

A male long-tailed duck in its black and white winter plumage.

Ruddy Duck

The ruddy duck is a small, compact diving duck from North America. It is named for the male’s bright ruddy plumage in the breeding season.

Some characteristics of ruddy ducks:

Males have a reddish-brown body, black crown and gleaming white cheek during breeding season. Females are grey-brown with a darker crown.
Their short, stiff tail sticks up at an angle as they swim. Ruddy ducks dive and feed underwater using their feet to propel themselves.
They mainly eat aquatic invertebrates like mollusks and larval insects. Plants and seeds make up a smaller part of their diet.
Ruddy ducks breed in reedy marshes across North America. Females build nests from grass near water. They aggressively defend their nests and young.
Large migratory flocks congregate on southern coastal lagoons and estuaries during winter. Their courtship displays begin by early spring.
Introduced into Britain, ruddy ducks hybridized with endangered white-headed ducks, threatening the latter’s genetic integrity.

A pair of ruddy ducks swimming together, with the grey female and reddish brown male.

Red-Crested Pochard

The red-crested pochard is a large Eurasian diving duck identified by its colorful reddish plumage and bright blue bill.

Some interesting facts about these ducks:

The male has a flaming orange head and neck with a tuft of spiky feathers. Its eyes are red and it has a black breast and a grey back.
The female is brown with a greyer head and neck. She builds the nest and protects the eggs.
Red-crested pochards dabble at the surface but also dive underwater to find aquatic plants and invertebrates.
They prefer to breed in nutrient-rich reed beds and marshes across southern Europe and Asia with dense vegetation to conceal their nests.
Outside breeding season, they gather in large flocks on lakes, reservoirs, ponds and tidal estuaries.
Their populations are declining in Western Europe due to habitat loss, but they remain abundant in Eastern Europe and Asia.

A male red-crested pochard swimming gracefully with its brilliant red head.

Bufflehead

The bufflehead is a small diving duck of North America. The male has an oversized head and puffy plumage. It is also called the “butterball duck”.

Fun bufflehead facts:

Males are mostly white with large black head and back markings. Females are grey with a white cheek patch.
Their compact, rounded shape allows them to dive underwater rapidly after insects, crustaceans and aquatic plants.
Buffleheads nest in tree cavities excavated by other birds. The entrance hole is only about 3 inches wide!
They breed across Canada and the northern U.S. and migrate in large flocks along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.
You can easily recognize buffleheads by their bouncing bobbing motion while on the water as they constantly pop their head underwater.
Their name might come from “buffalo-headed” referring to the male’s oversized head or the old Dutch word “buffel” meaning to bounce.

A pair of buffleheads, showing the male’s disproportionately large head.

Hooded Merganser

The hooded merganser is a small North American diving duck. The male has a signature white crest that it can fan out.

Some cool facts about hooded mergansers:

Adult males have a black crest lined with white stripes, chestnut sides, and a black back and breast. Females are grey-brown with a reddish-brown crest.
They mainly eat small fish like minnows, along with some aquatic insects and plants. Their serrated bill helps grip slippery prey.
Hooded mergansers nest in tree cavities near rivers, lakes or swamps, laying about 12 eggs. The ducklings can jump over 50 feet to the ground below!
Unlike many ducks, hooded mergansers use their wings underwater to propel through the water when diving. They can reach depths over 30 feet hunting for food.
Their breeding habitat stretches across Canada and the northern U.S. They winter along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts south to Mexico.
Males display for females by expanding their crest and emitting a rolling frog-like croak.

A male hooded merganser with its ornate crest fanned out.

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Barrow’s goldeneye is a medium-sized sea duck from North America. It winters along the Pacific coast feeding on crustaceans.

Here are some interesting facts about Barrow’s goldeneye:

Males have a white crescent on the face, black and white barred back, and golden-yellow eyes. Females are mostly grey-brown.
Their diet consists of insects, mollusks and crustaceans. They can dive underwater up to 230 feet when foraging!
Goldeneyes are cavity nesters. They nest in hollow trees near mountain lakes and ponds of western