Duck is the common name of several species of birds belonging to the Anatidae family. They differ in size from the other two members of the Anatidae family, the morrel and the swan. Ducks belong to several subclasses of this class. Physically, ducks are medium to small birds with flat beaks and short throats. The contrast between male and female ducks can be seen. Their calls are also mostly different. Male ducks molt twice a year. Female ducks lay many eggs at once and the eggshells are smooth, not crispy like those of swans or mallards. Most ducks are aquatic; They can live in both freshwater and saltwater environments. Although they look almost the same and have behavioral similarities, the birds like pati coot, merganser, diver etc. are not ducks.
Taxonomy
The word duck comes from the Old English 'diver', from the verb 'to duck, to bend down as if to descend, or to dive', as many species feed on flocks of ducks. Compare Dutch duiken and German tauchen 'to dive'.
This word replaced the Old English, perhaps to avoid confusion with other words of similar form. Other Germanic languages still have similar words for duck, for example, Dutch ind, German ante and Norwegian, and the word is inherited from Proto-Indo-European; Latin anus "duck", Lithuanian 'duck', Ancient Greek 'duck', and Sanskrit among others.
A duckling is a down plumage or baby duck, but in the food trade a small domestic duck that has just reached adult size and whose flesh is still completely tender, is sometimes referred to as a duckling.
All ducks belong to the biological order Anseriformes, a group that includes ducks, geese, and swans, as well as whooper and magpie geese. All except the shrews belong to the biological family Anatidae. Within the family, ducks are divided into various subfamilies and 'tribes'. The number and structure of these subfamilies and tribes are the cause of considerable disagreement among taxonomists.
Their conclusions are based on morphological characteristics, while others are based on shared behavior or genetic studies. The number of suggested subfamilies that contain ducks ranges from two to five. The significant level of hybridization among wild ducks complicates efforts to isolate the relationships between different species.
Mallard approach landing
In most modern classifications, the so-called 'true ducks' belong to the subfamily Anatinae, which is further divided into several tribes. The largest of these, the Anatini, contain the 'dabbling' or 'river' ducks - named primarily for their feeding habits on the surface of fresh water. The 'diving ducks', also named for their primary feeding method, make up the tribe Aithini.
The 'sea ducks' of the Mergini tribe are diving ducks that specialize on fish and shellfish and spend most of their lives in salt water. The tribe Oxyurini includes 'Stiftails', diving ducks notable for their small size and stiff, erect tail.
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