Family:
The black duck, also known as the American black duck is a large dabbling duck with a profile similar to that of a mallard, with a rounded head, bulky body, and thick bill. The male black duck has dark brown plumage with a paler greyish brown head and darker streaks on the cheeks and throat. It has white underwings and iridescent purple secondary flight feathers with white borders. The bill is yellow-green. The female black duck is similar but is paler and the bill is dull green with marks on the upper mandible.
Like other dabbling ducks, the black duck sits high in the water its tail high. It will form mixed flocks with other species of “puddle ducks” such as gadwalls.
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Black ducks are omnivorous and feed by dabbling in shallow water or grazing on land. They eat a variety of plant matter including grasses, sedges, seeds, stems, leaves, and roots, as well as molluscs, snails, insects, mussels, and small fish.
Ducklings eat mainly invertebrates such as dragonflies, beetles, flies, and larvae.
Black ducks are endemic to eastern North America. They are found in tidal marshes, estuaries, and lakes, as well as backwater ponds, bogs, and forested swamps. During the winter they mostly inhabit brackish marshes.
