Ducks have feathers all around their body! If you’ve owned a duck farm, you’ll easily witness them with features.
But, if you look closely, you’ll have noticed that they even have tail features. While the tail features look great, you could ask yourself- why does a duck have tail feathers?
Well, the tail feathers of ducks have some purpose for it. Mostly their curly tail feathers indicate whether that’s a male duck or a female duck. On the other hand, they express their excitement by shaking their tail feathers.
In the following discussion, you will know in detail about the uses of tail feathers. Along with some interesting facts about duck feathers. So, let’s get on the journey and know about the tail features of ducks and ducks, in general-
Do Ducks Have Tail Feathers?
Yes, ducks have tail feathers. It is impossible to believe that we haven’t heard about the bird duck or we haven’t seen this bird.
The duck is one of the most common birds. Since the duck is a domestic bird, the features of this bird are quite familiar to us. So it is again not unknown to us that ducks have tail feathers.
Irrespective of males, females, and mallards, all kinds of ducks have tail feathers.
What is The Purpose of Having Tail Feathers for Ducks?
Since tail feathers are a part of their body feature, they must have some necessity. Ducks express their excitement and happiness by swaying their tail feathers.
Another purpose of their tail feathers is to dry out their body after swimming. They also show their affection by swaying their tail feathers.
Do Both Male and Female Ducks Have Tail Feathers?
It is common for both male and female ducks to have tail feathers. In fact, ducks of different species have this common feature of having tail feathers.
Though both female and male ducks have tail feathers, it still distinguishes between female and male ducks. Male ducks have curly tail feathers which are seen to grow at the age of two to three months.
Two or three feathers overlap on both sides of the tail to make the curly tail which makes the male duck more prominent.
Now you might be wondering, What is the purpose of a bird’s tail feather?
Well, tail feathers are very important for birds, especially flying birds. It gives the bird stability and control over its body. These feathers play a vital role in working as a radar or providing balance to the bird while flying.
Why Do Male Ducks Have Curly Tail Feathers?
Curly tail feathers are more prominent for male ducks. At around 6-8 weeks of age, male ducks start to have 1 or 2 curl-up tail feathers at their back. It is said that the tail feather makes a duck more manly.
Most of the time, male ducks show their excitement and affection through their curly tail feathers. The habit of a duck showing affection and defending himself is called imprinting. A duck adopts these behaviors from its mother after its birth.
Can We Tell A Ducks Age From Their Feather?
Sometimes a duck’s feather tells us the age of the duck. You might be wondering how? Let me tell you the ways-
If you see a duck’s body is covered with a soft fluffy feathery stroke then you can say the age of the duck is around 2 weeks old. And, if the feather is a little prickly then the age should be around 2 to 4 weeks.
That said, when the body of the duck has partial feathers then the duck is above 4 weeks old. And, if it is fully feathered, you can say it’s a grown duck.
Does Mallard Curl Indicate their age?
All duck mallards usually have 4 curls. As the duck gets older, the feathers get more separated. So the interesting part is if you see a mallard in its first year, you won’t find any curls.
As it grows a year older, you might see two curls. And as it grows older than that, you will find the other two curls behind the previous ones.
What Does It Mean By Triple Curl For A Mallard?
This is a really interesting fact about mallards that can be disclosed by a hunter only. Triple curl is the name given by the hunters to the mature mallards.
As we know already the older the duck the curlier their tail feathers are. Hence, they are called triple curls. But in rare cases, you might find ducks with triple curls which means they actually have six feathers on their tail.
FAQ’s
Can Duck Feather Transmit Disease?
It is not always the case but sometimes they can get the disease through their feathers. Ducks that live in urban areas can grow bacteria or parasites inside their feathers. Those parasites or bacteria cause disease not only to the ducks but also to the other animals that get in touch with the ducks.
Can Ducks Remember Humans?
You will be amazed knowing the fact that ducks can make their bonding with humans even closer than dogs do and they will prove their loyalty more than a dog. Duck is mostly a domestic bird and throughout their life, they search for love and affection. Thus they make a remarkable bonding with humans and definitely remember their owner.
Are There Any Differences Between Waterfowl Feathers and Down?
Down and waterfowl are two different types of duck feathers we can witness in different periods of ducks’ life. Downs are basically fluffy and light fibers that can be found at the early age of a duck.
On the other hand, feathers are the cover of a duck’s body containing quills that can be found in the body of a grown duck.
Final Words
I hope you have got the overall idea of why does a duck have tail feathers? You might also find some really interesting facts about ducks that you haven’t heard before.
The duck is a beautiful and useful domestic bird. If you are a pet lover, you would definitely love to have some of your own.
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