# American Black Duck (*Anas rubripes*) The American Black Duck is a beautiful bird with dark feathers and a friendly quack! They love to swim in ponds and lakes, looking for tasty plants and insects to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![American Black Duck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/028_-_AMERICAN_BLACK_DUCK_%282-19-11%29_Quidi_Vidi_Lake%252C_St_John's%252C_Newfoundland_%288710694225%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:028_-_AMERICAN_BLACK_DUCK_%282-19-11%29_Quidi_Vidi_Lake%252C_St_John's%252C_Newfoundland_%288710694225%29.jpg) ## Appearance The American Black Duck is a dark-bodied duck with a lighter, brownish-tan head and a yellowish-orange bill. Its unique purplish-blue wing patch (speculum) has distinct black borders, making it visually distinct from the brighter Mallard. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Anas ## Interesting facts - Female black ducks often reuse the very same nesting spot year after year! - Their dark feathers help them stay warm by absorbing more sunlight in cold weather! - They can cross-breed with Mallards, creating unique "hybrid" ducklings! - Unlike many birds, they only shed their flight feathers once a year, usually in summer! ## Special abilities - **Stealthy Dabbler:** American Black Ducks can quietly forage by dabbling or tipping their bodies in shallow water, letting them find food unnoticed. - **Winter Survivor:** American Black Ducks have dense feathers and a fat layer that keeps them warm, allowing them to stay in icy northern waters. - **Quick Escape Artist:** American Black Ducks can spring vertically into flight from water or land, which helps them quickly escape from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-60 cm - **Wingspan:** 85-95 cm - **Weight:** 0.7-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 88 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-14 - **Incubation:** 26-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 1000 km ## Diet & Feeding They eat a mix of plants and small animals found in the water and on land. - **Age differences:** Young ducklings eat more insects and invertebrates for growth. - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Aquatic plants, Insects, Small crustaceans, Mollusks, Small fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Bald Eagles are a major aerial predator of adult ducks. - **Shelter:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — Often builds nests on abandoned muskrat lodges for protection. - **Depends on:** Broadleaf Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Uses dense cattail marshes for nesting cover and food. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Large fish like pike can prey on young ducklings underwater. - **Eats:** Floating Pondweed (*Potamogeton natans*) — Feeds on the seeds and vegetative parts of pondweed. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch ducks from a distance and don’t feed them bread. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American Black Duck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is American Black Duck? 50-60 cm ### What is American Black Duck's wingspan? 85-95 cm ### How much does American Black Duck weigh? 0.7-1.6 kg ### How long does American Black Duck live? 10-15 years ### How fast can American Black Duck move? 88 km/h ### What does American Black Duck eat? They eat a mix of plants and small animals found in the water and on land. ### Where is American Black Duck usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Pennellville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pennellville-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Jones Beach State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jones-beach-state-park) — New York, US · State Park - [Revere Beach Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/revere-beach-parkway) — Massachusetts, US · Park - [Salisbury Beach State Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salisbury-beach-state-reservation) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Stratford Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stratford-center-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see American Black Duck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-black-duck) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [American Black Duck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-black-duck)