[Animals of the world: ducks] Origin and history Ecology and characteristics

Ducks are birds of the Anatidae family that are currently bred around the world. Biologically, it is the same species as the mallard, and breeding has been done, so there are many species. Today, they are also raised as livestock, and it is said that they were domesticated more recently than chickens. The history of ducks spans thousands of years, so they have a fairly long history.

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feature

Ducks are birds with a total length of 50-80 cm and a weight of 3-5 kg. Ducks are domesticated mallards and have been domesticated by humans since ancient times. Females are smaller in size than males. Its most distinctive feature is its yellow beak, and its legs are often yellow as well. They have webbed feet and can swim. Body temperature is around 40°C. Modern ducks are bred all over the world, and breeds have been improved, so there are quite a few types. Ducks are not afraid of humans, so they are in high demand as pets. Occasionally, children mess with the ducks and get hurt by being pecked with their beaks, but basically they rarely attack.

Ecology

Ducks live by preying on grains, grasses, and even insects. Female ducks start laying eggs after about six months of life. The estrus period is from early spring to autumn, and mating takes place during this period. Ducks tend to live in groups. In a group, a strong male duck is the group leader, and mating in the group tends to focus on this male. Ducklings hatch chicks one month after laying eggs. Life expectancy varies considerably from 5 to 20 years, depending on whether it is in the wild or in captivity.

origin

Ducks are said to have originated in China and Europe. It is not yet known which one is the origin. Ducks are said to have been domesticated from mallards, and it is said that they were probably domesticated around 4,000 years ago.

history

Ducks were first bred in China and Europe, and later in western Asia and the Americas. It was already domesticated in ancient Greece around 500 BC. There are many reasons why ducks were domesticated. Duck meat can be eaten by humans, duck hair can be used as bedding, and duck eggs can be processed food. Duck eggs are full of bacteria and should not be eaten raw. With this background, ducks began to live closely with humans, and various breeds were born in each region. Various types of ducks are available for different purposes, such as pets, ornamental ducks, meat, and even eggs. The slowest place to raise ducks was the Americas. It wasn’t until the 1800s that they began to be domesticated in the United States.

meat breed

Meat breed ducks include Pekin, Rouen and Aylesbury. It has a high spawning capacity of 150 to 200 eggs per year, and is a large species weighing more than 4 kg. It is the most commonly kept breed in the world.

egg seed

Indian Runner and Kirkie Campbell fall into this category. The number of eggs laid is 200 to 250 per year, and it is a duck that can mass-produce a large number of eggs.

breeding

Some ducks have been specialized for pets and ornamental purposes. Examples include nakia ducks and silver apple yards. They are kept in many homes, and some even keep them indoors.