🦆Splashing about happily on the pond
MEET THE ANIMAL
🦆 Duck
Waterproof wonders
Ducks can sleep with one eye open and half their brain awake — keeping watch for danger. Their feathers are completely waterproof thanks to a special oil they spread while preening. Ducklings imprint on the first thing they see and follow it everywhere.
Habitat
Ponds, lakes, rivers, and wetlands worldwide
Lifespan
10–15 years
Diet
Omnivore — plants, insects, small fish
💡 Did you know?
- Can fly up to 800 km in a single day during migration
- Have webbed feet with no nerves or blood vessels — so cold water doesn't bother them
- Communicate with quacks, whistles, and grunts
💛 What this means
In factory farms
Most ducks raised for meat or down never see a pond — and they need water to stay healthy. For down feathers and foie gras, ducks are sometimes plucked or force-fed in painful ways.
🌱 A kind plant-based choice
Pick puffer jackets filled with recycled polyester or plant down (PrimaLoft Bio) — just as warm, no ducks involved. 🧥💚
Meet more friends 🌼
Duck facts for kids
A gentle, accurate guide to ducks for families, teachers and curious kids — with facts, factory-farm context, and kind plant-based choices.
Common questions from parents
- Are ducks smart?
- Can fly up to 800 km in a single day during migration
- What do ducks eat?
- Omnivore — plants, insects, small fish
- How can kids help ducks?
- Pick puffer jackets filled with recycled polyester or plant down (PrimaLoft Bio) — just as warm, no ducks involved. 🧥💚