There are more duck species than we could count. You would be surprised how many of them are so beautiful that they will leave you dropping your jaw. Here is our list of the top 10 most beautiful ducks.
1. MANDARIN DUCK
According to the website Living with Birds, the Mandarin Duck is the world’s most beautiful duck. The species is known for its vibrant purple, white, blue, and orange coloring.
The Mandarin duck is a beautiful colored bird with a greenish-black forehead and a purple crest near the head’s back. The head’s sides are creamy-white with a chestnut patch below the eyes, and the sides of the neck and cheeks have longer brown feathers. The upper breast is maroon, and the lower chest and belly are white. The females are grayer and have a smaller crest and eye-ring compared to the male.
2. Smew Duck
The Smew duck is famous for its black and white plumage. This duck is one of the merganser species in North America, Europe, and Asia. The male smew ducks have a white body with striking black markings on its head, back, and breast. The wings are dark with large white patches, and the eyes are black. The females have a chestnut head, white throat, and dark brown eyes. The breast is light grey while the rest of the body is dark grey. Both genders have gray feet.
3. Knob Billed Duck
The Knob-billed Duck, also known as Comb Duck, is a unique species because of its large black knob on the bill from the male birds. The species live in tropical wetlands in Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and South Asia. They are one of the largest species of waterfowl. The adult ducks have white heads with freckles and dark flanks. The neck and the underparts are white. The upperparts are glossy blue-black with bluish and greenish iridescence. The males have a large black knob on the bill, whereas the females have a plain bill. The males are larger than the females.
4. Hooded Merganser
The hooded merganser has an extraordinary black and white crest. They are the second smallest species of merganser and are the only native habitat in North America. The adult male hooded merganser has yellow eyes, white chest with two black stripes and a white fan-shaped crest. The female hooded merganser has brown eyes, reddish-brown crest, and greyish-brown body.
5. King Eider
The King Eiders are the largest sea ducks that live in the Northern Hemisphere. The duck gets its name from the distinctive yellow knob on its head since the knob almost resembles a crown. The duck species resides on the Arctic coast of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, and Russia. The male eiders have a black body, creamy white chest, bluish-grey neck and head, and red bill. The female eiders’ appearances are overall warm brown with a black bill.
6. Long-Tailed Duck
The long-tailed duck is a medium-sized sea duck with a small bill and two long and slender tail feathers. The duck was once known as the Oldsquaw in the United States. The plumage of the male duck changes into different colors during winter and summer. In summer, the white features on the head of the male change into black. The diving duck prefers to reside in the ocean or on saltwater in winter and northern tundra pools, ponds, and streams in summer.
7. Surf Scoter
The surf scoter is an unusual duck in the Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters during winter. The sea duck is native in North America. Because of its striking head pattern, the male sea duck is nicknamed “skunk-headed coot.” The male surf scoters are distinguished by their velvety black plumage, white patches on the forehead, the back of the neck, and their colorful bills. The females have lighter black bodies and white spots on the cheek, and their bills are greenish-black.
6. Spectacled Eider Duck
The spectacled eider is a beautiful sea duck found in the coasts of Alaska and northeastern Siberia. It is a medium-sized sea duck, approximately 52.8 centimeters long for males and 49.8 centimeters long for females. The male spectacled eider is characterized by its white back, yellow-green head, black body with white patches around the eyes. In contrast, the female spectacled eider is identified by its rich brown color with a lighter brown patch of features around its eyes. During the season of late summer and fall, the males are entirely mottled brown.
9. Ruddy Duck
The ruddy duck stands out for its brilliant bright blue bill and is of the stiff-tailed ducks from North America. They are often seen with their stuffed-tailed features that are cocked up in the air. During the winter season, their chestnut bodies and their bright blue bill fade to a dull gray. In the summer, both male and female ruddy ducks have similar appearances. Their food mainly consists of aquatic crustaceans and plants.
10. White-Headed Duck
The beautiful white-headed duck is one of the rarest waterbirds in the world. Both male and female ducks are approximately 45 centimeters long or 19 inches. The males are characterized by their small size, stunning white head, thick bluebills, and stiff tail features. The females have a darker head, grey-brown body, and darker brown bill.
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