What do ducks like to eat

Large numbers of waterfowl in a small area can seriously impact the surrounding environment. Feces generated by overcrowded waterfowl result in increased deposition of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen in the water and surrounding grasslands. The addition of these nutrients to water a process known as eutrophication promotes excessive algae growth, leading to decreased oxygen levels, foul-smelling green and cloudy water, fish kills, and an overall decrease in water quality. Some common algae species blue-green algae even produce toxins associated with illness in wildlife, humans, and pets.

Certain species of waterfowl may also be destructive to the environment, due to their natural foraging strategies. Canada geese graze on grass and other low-growing plants and, when in large flocks, often destroy lawns and gardens surrounding city ponds.

Increased waterfowl populations can also lead to erosion of shorelines and a general negative public opinion of ducks and geese. In the wild, a healthy fear of humans and other potential predators allows ducks and geese to survive and reproduce. In public settings where waterfowl are fed artificial diets, these birds often lose this fear and are more likely to be consumed by predators feral cats, dogs, foxes, raccoons, etc.

Urban waterfowl may also be more likely to be hit by vehicles, entangled in litter, and maliciously harmed by humans. Habituated geese can pose a significant public health threat at certain times of the year if they are defending a nesting female or a brood of goslings.

These habituated geese have the ability to seriously hurt humans, particularly children. Allowing ducks and geese to find their own wild, nutritionally balanced diet is best — for the health of waterfowl and the surrounding environment. Chopped up greens [kale, collards, dandelions only from pesticide-free yards ] are more nutritious than any junk food, including corn. Ducks and geese eat insects too -- so a special treat of mealworms or freeze-dried crickets would also likely be enjoyed!

Big Game. Land Management. Small Game. How To. Wild Game Recipes. Country Roots. View All. The Mossy Oak Store. Hunting Gear. Fishing Gear. Brand Gear. New Arrivals. December 10, Duck Diet: Best Foods for Ducks. Duck Diet Basics It may surprise you to learn that ducks are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals.

Bill shape is a good indicator of diet. For example, narrow, serrated bills are efficient at grabbing fish while broad, rounded bills are great for digging up aquatic insects and algae. Season: Opportunistic eaters will take advantage of whatever food source is most plentiful during a particular time of year. A duck that is gorging on grain today may be munching minnows next week, so you need to know what that particular species will be looking for in your neck of the woods. Pay attention to the feeding style of your target.

Despite both being aquatically-inclined, dabbling ducks will eat different things than deep-diving ducks simply because of how they search for food. Aquatic Appetites Of all the natural duck foodstuffs, aquatic plants may be the best place to focus your enhancement efforts. Good Grains For grain supply, consider planting wild rice zizania aquatica. Planting Tips for Standing Water The Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri offers the following tips for planting aquatic vegetation: Space approximately feet apart in rows to allow for growth.

Place submerged and floating-leaved plants along the 3- to 4-foot depth contour of the pond. Place emergent plants near the shore from the waterline out to depths of six to 12 inches. Do not place floating plants next to submerged plants so adequate light can reach young submerged plants.

Native Plants for Your Duck Pond The best native plant species for your duck pond will depend largely on your geographic area. Some good picks to start your site-specific research with include: Wild rice Pondweeds Milfoils Smartweed Wild Celery Duckweed Coontail No matter where you are, some common factors will influence how well your plants grow: water quality and clarity, salinity, water and sediment depth, wave and current energy.

Acorns Of course, an article on duck diet would not be complete without mentioning the outliers. Share This Story. Trending Gear. Mossy Oak Vintage Tagline Tee. Mossy Oak Performance Fleece Hoodie. An overwhelming amount of does can be bad for deer breeding season. Read on to learn more about managing your doe populations and the benefits of a balanced herd. Read More. Did you win the battle against bugs on your last camping trip?

Mossy Oak wants to arm you this year with the best bug repellent for camping. Camping , Mossy Oak Wellness. Kayaking for Deer: 5 Reasons to Go in by Boat. Kayaking for deer is more popular now than ever. Deer , Gear , How-To. Venison Shepherd's Pie. Believe me, if you make this recipe you're going to need to make two; the first one will be gone before it hits the table. Deer with One Spiked Antler. Spike One Side. Share your favorite photo with me by tagging SageScott. KC on Instagram and using the hashtag everydaywanderer.

Whether it includes millet, sunflower seeds, or another mix, any type of birdseed is safe to feed ducks instead of bread. Specially formulated for ducks, duck feed pellets are commonly fed to ducks that are raised for their eggs and meat. These duck feed pellets float for over an hour reducing the waste that sinks into the water. You can feed ducks fresh or dried corn.

Fresh corn can be defrosted frozen corn or freshly cut from a cob. When it comes to dried corn kernels, be sure to coarsely grind dried corn kernels before you feed ducks cracked corn. Sage Advice: Be careful feeding ducks cracked corn , fresh corn kernels, or canned corn near the water. If consumed by fish, it can be hard for them to digest. Whether its steel-cut, rolled, or quick, uncooked oats are a better alternative to bread to feed ducks.

You can also feed ducks wheat, barley, and similar grains. Whether cooked or uncooked, grains of rice are safe to feed ducks and other waterfowl. Be sure to cut grapes in half- or quarter-size pieces so that they are easier for the duck to eat.

Ducks enjoy a wide range of berries including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Sage Advice: When it comes to strawberries, enjoy the juicy red berry and save the green tops to feed the ducks and other herbivores in your neighborhood.

Fruit with a large seed or stone at the center — like cherries, plums, peaches, and apricots are all fine to feed the ducks. Ducks also enjoy apples, pears, and bananas.

However, you should avoid feeding ducks mangoes and citrus like lemons, limes, and oranges. Instead of throwing vegetable scraps in the trash or grinding them up in your garbage disposal, save them to feed the ducks. Ducks enjoy carrot and cucumber peelings, radish tops, and lettuce trimmings. Just be sure to chop the vegetable scraps into small pieces before feeding the ducks. From mealworms to earthworms, you can feed ducks worms.

However, ducks should be actively seeking natural food sources and should be able to find worms on their own. Yes, any type of birdseed is safe to feed ducks instead of bread.

But ducks, and especially ducklings, need more niacin in their diets than chicken feed provides. Ensure ducks get the niacin they need by sprinkling nutritional yeast on their chicken feed and offering niacin-rich foods like peas, raw or cooked sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.

Yes, it is safe to feed ducks dried cracked corn , fresh corn cut from the cob, and defrosted frozen corn kernels. Like bread, crackers and other processed grains with little nutritional value are bad for ducks. Ducks, geese, swans, and other waterfowl enjoy a wide variety of vegetables and vegetable scraps. Whether you feed the ducks cucumber peelings or pieces of cucumber, be sure to chop them into small pieces first. Ducks enjoy a wide range of vegetables, including lettuce and other leafy vegetables.

But just as you should limit the amount of iceberg lettuce you consume due to its limited nutritional value , the same is true for ducks. Feed ducks romaine lettuce, red or green leaf lettuce, or chard instead.

Millet is a cereal crop similar to barley, rice, and wheat. This starchy grain is grown for human food as well as animal feed. And like other grains, millet is safe to feed ducks. Peanuts are safe for ducks to eat, but they should be offered sparingly. Potato chips are on the list of empty calorie no nos like bread and crackers. Do not feed potato chips to ducks. While ducks enjoy eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables, you should avoid feeding ducks potato skins.

Potatoes are part of the nightshade family and toxic to ducks. In addition to potato skins, do not feed ducks tomatoes, eggplants, or bell peppers as these plants are also nightshades. While rice cakes are made from rice which is safe to feed ducks , they also include ingredients like sugar, fructose, and other ingredients that are not good for ducks.

So stick to rice rather than rice cakes when feeding the ducks. Similar to millet, rice, and other cereal crops, oats are safe to feed ducks. Sprinkle quick, rolled, or steel-cut oats out for ducks.

You bet! Like a wide range of fruits and vegetables, ducks enjoy both the green tops of strawberries and the fruit. From berries to stone fruits to melons, most fruit is safe to feed ducks. Even bananas! Just be sure to remove the stones, seeds, and core before feeding fruit to ducks. And, you should never feed ducks mangoes, lemons, limes, oranges, or other citrus fruits. What do you like to feed ducks instead of bread?