Waterfowl represent game birds that spend most of their lives near water bodies like lakes, rivers, and oceans.Ducks are the most common waterfowl. Ducks are found across the globe in all continents except for Antarctica, in both fresh and saltwater bodies.Ducks are smaller than geese and swans, with shorter necks than other waterfowls. Ducks have webbed feet like most aquatic birds and have three layers of feathers: contour, flight, and down. The contours are thick waterproof feathers that protect the ducks, while the flight feathers, located on the wings and tail, help the birds in flight, and the soft and fluffy down feathers keep the ducks warm.Ducks also have a strong beak with a hard tip for foraging in the mud and comb-like structures at the sides for filter-feeding. The food menu of ducks contains aquatic plants and weeds, insects, worms, grass, grains, small fishes, and crustaceans. There are many different species and types of birds belonging to the duck family. Each species has a different appearance with varied feather patterns and beaks.Different duck species are also grouped based on some of their common characteristics. Dabblers or dabbling ducks are the birds that feed on the food available at the water surface or the ground nearby. On the other hand, diving ducks dive into the water to search for fish or aquatic plants to eat. Perching ducks have talons on their feet and can be found sitting on tree branches. Stiff-tails are also diving ducks that have stiff spike tails, which help them in swimming. Whistling ducks have long necks and feet and are often mistaken for geese.Ducks are known for their shrill whistling calls, which can be heard over long distances. Irrespective of the species, all waterfowl are gregarious birds most of the year. Except for the mating seasons, they are always found in groups.Not only ducks but many other birds and animals also tend to form groups. We often see animals like goats or sheep in groups. Birds like pigeons also constantly stay in groups. Words used to refer to such groups in the English language are called collective nouns. These words are not limited to birds and animals but also refer to collections of things and groups of people.A group of pigeons is called a flock or a kit, whereas a group of doves is called a bevy. A herd is a word used as a collective noun for many animals like deer, cows, goats, sheep, and rabbits. Bevy is also a word used for several groups of female animals. A group of doe deer or doe rabbits is called a bevy.Some collective noun examples used for specific groups of people are a band of musicians and a gang of thieves. A bunch of flowers, a wad of notes, a pack of cards are some collective nouns used for things. In this article, we will educate ourselves with the list of collective nouns used to describe a group of ducks.If you find this article fun and educative, check out our other recommendations: what is a group of dolphins called? And, what is a group of penguins called?Common Names For A Group Of DucksDucks are one of the most social birds out there. You can always find them in groups. So, it is only suitable for there to be collective nouns referring to groups of these sociable birds.A few of the most common collective nouns used to represent duck groups are: a flock of ducks, a raft of ducks, a team of ducks, a paddling of ducks, a badling of ducks, and a brood of ducks.A group of ducks is called a different collective noun based on where they are spotted. Group of ducks present on water, or flying in the sky, or walking on the ground all have different collective nouns to address them.Ducks are aquatic birds and spend most of their time swimming on the water surface or diving into the blue. The collective nouns used for ducks swimming in the water are raft, paddling, and bunch. Some of these collective nouns have a reason behind them. Raft is one such collective noun. When ducks stick close to each other on the water, they almost resemble a floating raft, hence the term ‘a raft of ducks.‘While we see a paddling of ducks during our walk by the lake in the mornings or evenings, it is known that the ducks also sleep in closely packed groups at night. This is to protect themselves from the danger of predators while they are vulnerable during sleep. We all know that there is always strength in numbers.Ducks come to land to look for food. Female ducks make a nest and lay their eggs on dry land near water bodies. A group of ducks on land can be called a waddling of ducks, a flock of ducks, a badling of ducks, or a herd of ducks. Badling is a collective noun exclusive to ducks. The collective noun waddling comes from the way of walking for ducks, the duck-waddle.As ducks, like most waterfowls, are migratory birds, they fly high and long and often in groups. Flying in groups and formations makes migration more manageable and safer. A group of ducks in flight can be called a flock, skein, string, or team. When the waterfowl fly, they do it in neat formations, making a group of ducks in flight looks like a string of wool or yarn, hence the names of skein and string.A group of geese in flight are also called a skein of geese. Also, the collective noun wedge addresses a group of geese or swans flying in V formation.The other collective nouns used to call a group of ducks includes plump, sord, flight, safe, flush, and suite.What do you call a group of baby ducks?A male duck is called a drake, while the female is called hen or simply duck. The baby ducks, on the other hand, are called ducklings.The female ducks make a nest near a water body. Mother ducks are caring birds. They pluck their own feathers to make the nest cozy and comfortable. A hen lays 3-15 eggs per clutch and incubates them for 30 days by sitting on them. After the eggs hatch and the ducklings come out, the mother duck leads the group of baby ducks to the water.The mother duck looks after the baby ducks for up to 50-60 days, by which time they learn to swim and catch their own food. In this interval, they are always seen in groups following their mother duck around. A group of baby ducks makes for the cutest sight to behold.We call a group of adorable baby ducks a brood or flock or a waddle. The most common collective noun for ducklings among them is brood. Waddle is used rather scarcely, whereas flock is a collective noun acceptable as a word for a group of ducks almost anytime. It is also a collective noun used to address all birds in general.While there are different sets of collective nouns for ducks in the water, on land, in-flight, and even for young ones, other species also have some collective nouns used to address their groups specifically. The mallard ducks are one such species.Mallard ducks are one of the most commonly found duck varieties in the USA. The mallard drakes have a glossy green head, a white band around their neck, and warm brown-colored breast, while female mallards have a mottled brown body. While the list of collective nouns we have learned so far applies to mallards, a group of mallard ducks has other words that describe them. These terms include a sword of mallards, a suite of mallards, and a fistful of mallards.What is the leader of ducks called?A flock of ducks does not necessarily have a leader. They might have a pecking order, though.Drakes are comparatively more territorial and aggressive than the hens. Hierarchy in a duck family starts with an assertive drake in most cases. Some domesticated drakes even practice pecking order over their human owners. Pecking order is established in a flock through fights.While domestic and wild ducks practice hierarchical systems, they are not as strict as some other birds like chickens. Waterfowls like ducks and geese are super sociable birds. Hence they get along well with other birds of the flock. It is also easy to introduce new members to a flock of ducks or a gaggle of geese than other birds.As for leading or taking the first step, there is no leader in most flocks. Therefore, there is no name to give to the non-existent leader of a flock of ducks. During migration or flights, the birds of the team take turns to lead so that one single bird doesn’t tire out. This is the tradition also followed by other birds of the waterfowl family.How many ducks are in a flock?Ducks are the type of birds that are found both in the wild and in domesticated habitats.Ducks are reared on farms for their eggs and meat. Ducks also make for an excellent choice as pets. They are extremely friendly and harmless. As ducks are highly gregarious birds, they get sad and lonely alone. So it is advised to get two or more ducks as pets for a happier pet life. Ducks in the wild, raised in farms or as pets, all form groups of varying numbers.A flock means nothing but a group of ducks, which implies more than one duck. It may be two or as many as 1000. Ducks in the wild form groups of 10-20 or as large as hundreds or sometimes even thousands. In comparison, domestic ducks can be seen together in groups of 3 - 15. Ducks raised as pets form the smallest of flocks, with two or three of them.As ducks are sociable birds, it is always best to raise two or more to keep them happy. Ducks seen in a pair of two are called a brace of ducks. A brace of ducks is more likely to be spotted during the breeding season. As many as they may be, ducks of any other group size are all called by the collective nouns, we have read about so far.Aside from being sociable creatures that enjoy company, there are few other reasons why ducks flock together in a large bunch. A large group means many pairs of eyes to detect predators trying to prey on the flock. When a predator is spotted, the ducks make loud noises to alert the rest of the flock. Another likely reason may be to confuse and overwhelm the predators that might come to attack. When the predators see so many ducks together, they get confused on which one to target, and the loud noises these creatures make might coerce them to retreat.Ducks in a flock also find it easier and safer to migrate. When they fly in a specific pattern, for example, a V shape, it makes flying more manageable. The young birds in the group learn things like migration routes and places to stop and rest from the older birds of the flock.Though we can list many advantages for gathering in large groups, there are a few drawbacks too. The larger the flock, the louder it gets, thereby attracting predators and hunters. A big flock also means more competition for food among the birds. One more problem can be the spread of disease. If one bird in a flock gets a disease, the chances of other birds getting infected are high in such flocks.Though there are demerits for being in a flock, the survival rate is higher for birds that stick in groups. Hence most wildfowls like ducks, geese, and swans are often seen in groups. A list of terms used to refer to a group of geese are gaggle, flock, team, wedge, and plump. A group of swans is often called a ballet of swans, a bevy of swans, a team of swans, a flock of swans, among other names.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what is a group of ducks called, then why not take a look at what is a group of goats called, or marbled duck facts.
Waterfowl represent game birds that spend most of their lives near water bodies like lakes, rivers, and oceans.
