DUCKS
At the MEEC you may see several different types of ducks. In the United States there are 55 different species of ducks. In Georgia, there are two main types of ducks: dabblers and diving ducks. These two groups are very different.
Dabbling Ducks: These ducks are found in shallow water or puddles. They like to dabble or stick their head under the water to feed. Their legs are near the middle of their body. You may see them walking on the banks of the ponds or near the water. They will usually have bright colors on their wings. When they leave the water to fly away, they seem to jump, almost vertically, straight from the water.
At the MEEC you may see several different types of ducks. In the United States there are 55 different species of ducks. In Georgia, there are two main types of ducks: dabblers and diving ducks. These two groups are very different.
Dabbling Ducks: These ducks are found in shallow water or puddles. They like to dabble or stick their head under the water to feed. Their legs are near the middle of their body. You may see them walking on the banks of the ponds or near the water. They will usually have bright colors on their wings. When they leave the water to fly away, they seem to jump, almost vertically, straight from the water.
Wood Ducks: The wood duck is the most common duck in Georgia. It likes forested wetlands, beaver ponds and the shallow ponds at the MEEC. They nest in tree cavities and in the wood nesting boxes that you will see on the ponds. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest and make their way to the water. The mother duck calls them but doesn't help them in any way. The wood duck spends the winter in this area. They like to eat seeds, fruits, insects, acorns, smartweed, millet, duckweed and panic grass.
Mallard Ducks: The mallard is one of the most recognizable ducks in Georgia. They can be found from rivers to ponds to lakes to back yard ponds, and even on golf courses water hazards. The male mallard has a green head, a thin white ring around its neck, reddish chest, gray or brown back and a yellow bill. It has two dark tail feathers that curl upward. The female does not have bright colors. She has mottled brown and black feathers, a dark streak through the eyes and an orange and brown bill. The male and the female both have orange legs and feet. Mallards like to eat seed of bulrushes, pondweeds, millet, sedges, smartweeds, acorns, and crops such as corn sorghum, rice and soybeans.
Diving Ducks: Diving ducks dive underwater and use their eyes to locate their food. They can dive several feet under the water. They are better swimmers than dabbling ducks, but they cannot walk on land as easily as the dabbling ducks. When they get ready to take off and fly, the diving ducks seem to run across the top of the water before they take flight. The most common diving duck in Georgia is the ring-necked duck.
