Cape Cod
Birding:
All Your Ducks in a Row
October through April is the perfect time to get all your ducks in a row. Actual ducks, that is: mallards, common eiders, gadwalls, buffleheads, canvasbacks and goldeneyes, to name a few. While most of our feathered friends have flown south for the winter, the waterfowl continually choose to remain behind.
The Cape is home to several different groups of ducks including puddle ducks and diving ducks. Puddle ducks (mallards, gadwalls and green-winged teals) are typically found in shallower marshes and rivers. They feed on vegetation by dabbling or tipping their bodies, not diving. Diving ducks (canvasbacks, goldeneyes and buffleheads) are found in larger, deeper lakes, rivers, coastal bays and inlets. They feed by diving, often to surprising depths. Their diet consists mainly of shellfish, fish and aquatic plants.
Male ducks are called drakes and females are called hens. As with most birds, males tend to have brighter more colorful plumage to aid in attracting females. Ducks tend to search for mates in the winter and breed in the spring. Ducks have webbed feet, which aid in swimming but force them to waddle when they walk. Did you know a duck's feet cannot feel cold even in the iciest waters? This is because a duck's feet do not have blood vessels or nerve endings. The "waterproof" layer of feathers on the surface of the duck's body also helps them stay warm in the colder months.
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