Overview
The American Black duck is a North American dabbling duck that is often mistaken for a Mallard hen. The Black duck is similar in size to the North American Mallard with an average length of 24 inches and an average weight of 2 ¾ lbs.. A dusky brown coloration with a pale brown head identifies the drake Black duck. The bills are the major distinction between a drake and a hen. The drake’s bill is greenish yellow and the hen is olive green. Both sexes have a blue wing patch on both wings. These birds are known as one of the weariest birds of the migrating birds. They are primarily found in lakes, marshes, and salt marshes.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Anas
- Species
- rubripes
Habitat
The American Black duck starts its breeding grounds in upper Mississippi towards Northeast Canada. The primary breeding ground for these ducks are in Maine and Nova Scotia. The ducks then migrate along the Mississippi flyway and Atlantic flyway. They then fly and spend winter in the Florida marshes feeding on small aquatic animals and mollusks.
Diet
The American black duck is an omnivorous species with a diverse diet. It feeds by dabbling in shallow water and grazing on land. Its plant diet primarily includes a wide variety of wetland grasses and sedges, and the seeds, stems, leaves and root stalks of aquatic plants, such as eelgrass, pondweed and smartweed. Its animal diet includes mollusks, snails, amphipods, insects, mussels and small fishes.
Behavior
The American black duck is an omnivorous species with a diverse diet. It feeds by dabbling in shallow water and grazing on land. Its plant diet primarily includes a wide variety of wetland grasses and sedges, and the seeds, stems, leaves and root stalks of aquatic plants, such as eelgrass, pondweed and smartweed. Its animal diet includes mollusks, snails, amphipods, insects, mussels and small fishes.
Hunting
Typically hunted with a 12 ga shotgun. Shot size #2-4 is sufficient. Effectively hunted with decoys and calling. Dogs are used for bird retrieval. Steel shot is required for waterfowl in the United States.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.