What Do Ducks Eat? (Complete Guide)

The humble duck is a common sight in various waterways around the world. Ducks actually represent many species in the family Anatidae, which also includes other waterfowl such as ducks and swans. Ducks are known to be one of the most gregarious and sociable birds, and they tend to hang out in flocks. Ducks also often eat in groups, but what do ducks eat?

Ducks are omnivores and their diet is strongly influenced by the food available in their aquatic habitat. They eat a variety of aquatic plants and plants as well as insects, mollusks, fish eggs, and even amphibians such as small crustaceans, fish, and frogs.

When observing ducks, it is common to see them dipping their heads underwater, possibly catching insects or other organisms, or tearing apart and eating aquatic plants. Ducks have flattened, spatula-like beaks that are perfect for defoliating aquatic plants. They have a soft serrated edge that allows them to sift and strain food from water and mud.

Because the word duck covers many different species of birds, what they like to eat varies from species to species. For example, mallards and pintails eat mostly aquatic plants and vegetation, and mergansers eat mostly fish—this is because they have hooked, serrated beaks that are perfect for this purpose.

Read on to discover more fun facts about what ducks eat!

feeding ducks in the park

What do ducks eat in the wild?

Ducks are omnivorous foragers. They forage for whatever food they can find in their usually food-rich aquatic habitats. Ducks readily eat most types of foliage in water and on land, including pond grasses, freshwater seaweed, reeds, and flowers. Ducks are also prone to eating berries, seeds and grains.

In terms of insects and other meat, ducks eat everything from aquatic insects like pond skates and diving beetles to snails and other molluscs, shellfish, and even small fish, fish eggs, and amphibians. Frog eggs and tadpoles are one of their favorite aquatic foods – ducks and frog spawning pools don’t mix as they will eat all the tadpoles!

What do ducklings eat?

Ducklings eat the same diet as adults, but tend to eat more softer foods, including soft aquatic plants and algae, worms, and tiny crustaceans and molluscs. In captivity, ducklings are fed waterfowl feed, but should also be provided with their own pond water for foraging.

Ducklings should also be offered fine sand to help them digest the food in their gizzard, but not until they are about 2 weeks old.

mallard ducklings eating in water

What do ducks eat in the pond?

Ducks are excellent aquatic foragers and spend long hours sifting and filtering pond water for different types of tiny or microscopic insects, worms, crustaceans and other shellfish.

Their flat beaks act like a sort of sieve, allowing them to filter pond water to retrieve the essence. Ducks also eat most of the aquatic vegetation in the pond and usually whatever is available in the pond at the time, including small fish, molluscs and amphibians.

What do ducks eat on grass?

Not only do ducks forage on the water, but they also graze on grass. Ducks will eat the grass itself, as well as any and all types of insects, worms, molluscs such as slugs, snails and larvae. Their bills are versatile and have fairly sharp edges, good for ripping light vegetation from the ground.

Gadwall foraging in the grass

What do ducks eat in winter?

A duck’s diet in winter is roughly the same as in summer, but since winter foods are usually less plentiful, ducks are more inclined to eat whatever they can forage. Insects and small invertebrates provide the ducks with the fat and protein they need to survive the winter, but they eat a variety of nutrient-rich leaves in the water and on land.

Are ducks omnivores?

Absolutely. Ducks are not fussy and feed on insects and small animals as well as plants. Their digestive system is aided by the gizzard, a specialized stomach that birds have that helps them grind up hard-to-digest food. As a result, ducks can eat almost anything with nutritional value in their natural habitat.

Mallards looking for food in winter

Do ducks eat fish?

Ducks are not natural fishers, but they will happily eat any small fish they manage to scoop up with their broad beaks. When foraging in water, ducks scoop up water from below the surface and sift through it for small animals, including fish.

Most of these fish are small – almost microscopic. However, if a duck is going to catch a bigger fish, it will definitely try to eat it if it can swallow it.

Do ducks eat frogs?

While ducks rarely encounter adult frogs that they can physically eat, they will certainly eat young and froglets that have just turned into tadpoles. Tadpoles are ideal food for ducks because they are easy to find in shallow water and are easy to scoop up and swallow.

A pair of mandarin ducks foraging together

Do ducks eat bread?

Ducks will definitely eat bread. The problem with bread is not that it is particularly harmful to ducks and other birds, but that it is very poorly nutritious. Birds overfed with bread may not be foraging for the food they really need.

While it’s usually okay to feed ducks a small amount of bread, it’s usually discouraged for this reason. Another point is that bread can quickly go moldy and damage the habitat of ducks and other wildlife.

wild duck eating bread

Can ducks be fed bread?

If you go to your local park or pond, chances are you’ll see people feeding ducks bread. This is often an activity that includes children as it entertains them and allows them to interact with nature – it helps teach respect and love for wildlife. And the duck will happily take the bread and eat it. In the long run, it’s not very good for them.

Although feeding ducks bread itself is not harmful as they can digest it without a problem, the bread provides no nutritional value and will leave the ducks feeling full and unable to get the nutrients they need.

Feeding ducks only bread for long periods of time can lead to malnutrition, and they can even become overweight – which can have knock-on effects, such as deformed wings, meaning ducks can’t fly. Any leftover bread that the ducks don’t eat usually attracts mice, which can also contribute to the spread of disease.

It’s okay to occasionally feed your ducks a little bread, but if you can avoid it, substitute one of the options listed below. It is also recommended to avoid feeding the ducks cereal, biscuits, crisps, candy and moldy food.

Can moldy bread be fed to ducks?

Feeding moldy bread to ducks is not recommended as it can cause physical discomfort and, in some cases, diseases such as lung disease. So please try to avoid feeding moldy bread to ducks.

Two ducks diving for food together

Do Ducks Eat Ticks?

Yes, ducks are prone to eating ticks, and poultry farmers raise ducks as birds to help control ticks on their farms.

What is the best food to feed ducks?

There are plenty of other things you can feed your ducks that they’ll love just as much, and you’ll be contributing to a better, healthier lifestyle for them.

• bird species – Bird seeds are very nutritious for ducks, and you can buy them anywhere.
• sweet corn – Fresh or frozen are fine, just be sure to thaw.
• rice – Both raw and cooked rice are available.
• lettuce- Any type of salad will do, just make sure it’s not mushy.
• peas – Raw peas are fine, just make sure they’re not frozen.
• oatmeal – Instant porridge and oatmeal are fine. Flapjack is even okay, as long as it doesn’t have a lot of added sugar.

hand feeding ducks

How to feed the ducks?

When feeding ducks, it is best to feed them in small quantities so as not to leave piles of food around. It is best to scatter food over water rather than land – this is because food on land exposes ducks to their predators, whereas water is safer for them.

Try to keep a good distance and keep noise levels down – this will help avoid scaring the ducks. Always make sure children are supervised when they are near water.

If the ducks are confident enough, they will take the food from you. If this is something you want to do, we recommend lowering to the ground and remaining calm and quiet, as any sudden movements and noises will startle the ducks.

Peking Duck Eating Grass

Do ducks eat bugs?

Worms provide one of the highest fat and protein foods for ducks and many other birds, so yes, they absolutely eat worms, both in water and on land.

Do ducks eat corn?

Ducks will eat most grains and corn, whether it’s sweet, ground, or whole. Corn is often recommended as a nutritious substitute for bread when feeding mallard and domestic ducks.

mallard duck in flight

Do ducks eat duckweed?

Duckweed, or Duckweed, is a common aquatic plant that floats on ponds and other stagnant or slow-moving water. Ducks do eat it and are pretty good at scooping it up with their spatula-like beaks. Duckweed also often provides shelter for small insects and larvae, making them ideal for foraging ducks.

Do ducks have gizzards?

Yes, ducks have gizzards, which are specialized stomachs that help them digest certain foods. Ducks feed on the gravel and pebbles that sit in their gizzards, forming gastroliths. This grit helps them grind up hard-to-digest foods. Birds have gizzards because they don’t have teeth and they swallow their food whole instead of chewing it.

Wild duck drinking from the river

What do ducks drink?

Ducks drink water like all other birds. Water is vital to ducks as it helps them keep their feathers in good condition and keep their eyes and nostrils clean. Ducks tend to drink about 1 liter of water per day, which means they sometimes drink twice as much in a day!

Mallard ducks typically drink from ponds, lakes, and watering holes. That’s why maintaining a clean water source is crucial, making sure they have a supply of fresh drinking water.