Dabbling Ducks

Dabbling Ducks wade or swim in shallow water, using their bill to skim for food.

More Dabbling Ducks American Black Duck Cinnamon Teal Green-winged Teal Mallard Northern Pintail Northern Shovler Wigeons Wood Duck Duck Pictures

Depending on the species, their diet consists of plants, mollusks and insects.

At the park you see people feeding them grains and bread. Grains are more nutritious. The processed bread is more like junk food.

As a group they are often easy to identify during meal time. Their tail is often in the air, as they poke their head in the water looking for food.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) lists ten species of dabbling ducks in their report on North American Ducks. They note that while species numbers have declined overall since 1955, by the late 1990s all the species population levels, except for the Northern Pintail, were either stable or increasing.

Depending on location, Blue-winged Teal, Mallards and Wigeons often constitute a large percentage of any flock of dabbling ducks living at local ponds, lakes and rivers.

The species in the picture is a male Cinnamon Teal in eclipse.

Click on any link in the box to learn about different species of dabbling ducks.

© 2006-2008. Patricia A. Michaels