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 | What Do Ducks Eat? |
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Ducks are omnivorous birds which means they will eat a mixture of both plants and other animals.
Different species of ducks will eat different types of foodstuffs. For example mergansers, that have serrated, hooked bills, eat a diet primarily made up of fish, whereas dabbling ducks such as mallards or pintails will graze on aquatic plants and vegetation that they dive headfirst below the surface of the water to find.
In the wild, a duck’s diet will also vary depending on its habitat. So ducks that live near wetlands will eat amphibians such as frogs, molluscs and small fish, while ducks that live near parks and grasslands will eat seeds, grains and grasses.
As well as the foods mentioned above wild ducks will also eat fish eggs, small crustaceans, algae, worms, and insects.
To aid their digestion ducks will eat sand, gravel and other sources of grit, which helps them grind their food in their gizzards.
However, ducks are foragers and when living in close proximity to humans will eat almost all types of food they can find. They will also eat food that is specifically fed to them and although many people associate feeding bread to ducks this is one of the worst foods they can eat as it has little nutritious value to them and can actually be harmful.
You can find out more about they types of food that are suitable to feed to ducks here.
