Ducks don’t really get enough credit for how darn adorable they are. Sure, some people might be a fan, but a lot of people simply take them for granted. If you get to really know them, they’re quite wonderful creatures with giant hearts. Plus, they’re so stinkin’ cute! Need proof? Keep reading.
Here are 65 sweet ducks that couldn’t be happier to be alive.
After this, ducks will become your favorite animal.
1) Baby naps
This precious duckling is just tuckered out from learning how to be a duck! So, they found the perfect little spot for a quick nap.
Fun duck fact: “All types of ducks are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes swans and geese. There are between 140-175 birds in the Anatidae family, depending on how different subspecies are classified, though not all of them are considered ducks,” says The Spruce.
Fun duck fact: “Their webbed feet have no nerves or blood vessels, rendering them incapable of feeling the cold. Which is an important adaptation when you consider that ducks can be found on every continent except for the inhospitable Antarctica,” explains Mental Floss.
Fun duck fact: “A baby duck is called a duckling, and an adult male is a drake. An adult female duck is called a hen or a duck, and a group of ducks can be called a raft, team, or paddling. Generic terms like bird, chick, and flock also apply to ducks,” says The Spruce.
Fun duck fact: “After a male duck, or drake’s, chosen mate is hatching eggs,the birds undergo molting, temporarily losing their bright plumage, as well as their ability to fly,” says Mental Floss.
Fun duck fact: “All ducks have highly waterproof feathers as a result of an intricate feather structure and a waxy coating that is spread on each feather while preening. A duck’s feathers are so waterproof that even when the duck dives underwater, its downy underlayer of feathers right next to the skin will stay completely dry,” says The Spruce.
Fun duck fact: “The more daylight there is, the more eggs a hen produces. Farmers who raise ducks will often turn to artificial lighting in order to give their hens about 17 hours of light a day,” explains Mental Floss.
Fun duck fact: “Ducks are precocial, which means that ducklings are covered with down and able to walk and leave the nest just a few hours after hatching. This helps protect the young chicks from predators, since they do not need to stay in the vulnerable nest area for long,” says The Spruce.
Fun duck fact: “The omnivorous birds also tend to consume gravel, small stones, or sand—not for the nutritional value, but so they can store the substances in their gizzards and use the rough textures to break down food,” says Mental Floss.
Fun duck fact: “A hen will lead her ducklings up to a half mile or more over land after hatching to find a suitable water source for swimming and feeding. As soon as a baby duck’s down is dry after hatching, they will be able to swim. It isn’t unusual to see very tiny ducklings swimming after their mother,” says The Spruce.
Fun duck fact: “Because a duck’s eyes are located on either sides of its head, they have a field of vision of nearly 340 degrees. And thanks to the shape of their eyes, they can see objects both near and far simultaneously. To top it off, ducks have threeeyelids and can see in color,” says Mental Floss.
Fun duck fact: “Most duck species are monogamous for a breeding season but they do not often mate for life. Instead, they will seek out new mates each year, choosing the healthiest, strongest, best mate who can help them pass on their genes to a new duckling generation,” explains The Spruce.
