the duck
Aeljer;bjvbawo’ig;baiuZo’n;bc;hfgjhvhuldsvbfhwsvbdfebluydbyulregbuyfgyusfvbuyvgusowfvbfvwe- yvcuyewbfjhwefvowyf BuffleheadScientific classificationKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AvesOrder: AnseriformesFamily: AnatidaeDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group (the group of all descendants of a single common ancestral species) but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water.
Ducks are sometimes confused with several types of unrelated water birds with similar forms, such as loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots.
Contents
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1 Etymology2 Morphology3 Behaviour3.1 Feeding3.2 Breeding3.3 Communication3.4 Distribution and habitat3.5 Predators4 Relationship with humans4.1 Domestication4.2 Cultural references5 See also6 References7 External linksEtymology
Pacific Black Duck displaying the characteristic upending 'duck '
The word duck comes from Old English *dūce "diver", a derivative of the verb *dūcan "to duck, bend down low as if to get under something, or dive", because of the way many species in the dabbling duck group feed by upending; compare with Dutch duiken and German tauchen "to dive".
This word replaced Old English ened/ænid "duck", possibly to avoid confusion with other Old English words, like ende "end" with similar forms. Other Germanic languages still have similar words for "duck", for example, Dutch eend "duck" and German Ente "duck". The word ened/ænid was inherited from Proto-Indo-European; compare: Latin anas "duck", Lithuanian ántis "duck", Ancient Greek nēssa/nētta (νῆσσα, νῆττα) "duck", and Sanskrit ātí "water bird", among others.
A duckling is a young duck in downy plumage[1] or
Ducks are sometimes confused with several types of unrelated water birds with similar forms, such as loons or divers, grebes, gallinules, and coots.
Contents
[hide]
1 Etymology2 Morphology3 Behaviour3.1 Feeding3.2 Breeding3.3 Communication3.4 Distribution and habitat3.5 Predators4 Relationship with humans4.1 Domestication4.2 Cultural references5 See also6 References7 External linksEtymology
Pacific Black Duck displaying the characteristic upending 'duck '
The word duck comes from Old English *dūce "diver", a derivative of the verb *dūcan "to duck, bend down low as if to get under something, or dive", because of the way many species in the dabbling duck group feed by upending; compare with Dutch duiken and German tauchen "to dive".
This word replaced Old English ened/ænid "duck", possibly to avoid confusion with other Old English words, like ende "end" with similar forms. Other Germanic languages still have similar words for "duck", for example, Dutch eend "duck" and German Ente "duck". The word ened/ænid was inherited from Proto-Indo-European; compare: Latin anas "duck", Lithuanian ántis "duck", Ancient Greek nēssa/nētta (νῆσσα, νῆττα) "duck", and Sanskrit ātí "water bird", among others.
A duckling is a young duck in downy plumage[1] or
References: Jump up ^ "Duckling". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2006. Retrieved 05-01-2008. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Jump up ^ "Duckling" Jump up ^ Ogden, Evans. "Dabbling Ducks". CWE. Retrieved 2006-11-02. Jump up ^ Amos, Jonathan (2003-09-08)