A huge variety of the most diverse species of birds lives in the wide expanses of the earth. Among them are amazing ducks.
This article will talk about one of the most conspicuous, black ducks - beautiful birds with beautiful rich plumage.
Before we tell you what characteristics and features black ducks have, we will briefly consider what varieties of groups and breeds of ducks generally exist in nature and in poultry farming.
About ducks living in nature
Wild ducks amaze with their number and variety of color variations. Each of them is unique in appearance and has its own habits and characteristics of behavior. The following types of ducks are found in nature: coot, merganser, scoter, wigeon, etc.
Almost all wild ducks can be easily domesticated by humans.
For the normal full-fledged habitat of ducks of any species, it is important that water bodies have coastal vegetation, and therefore these birds can be found in wetlands, in bays, in channels, in water bodies, etc.
In this article, one of these wild birds, the black coot duck, will be presented a little lower.
Breeds and groups of ducks raised by humans
According to their main productivity, ducksare divided into 3 main types: egg, general and meat.
1. Egg-laying ducks are much lighter in weight than the common or meat types. And in terms of their egg production, birds of this type are not inferior to chickens.
2. The general use type of birds are distinguished by their relatively high egg production and excellent meat qualities. By about the age of 65 days, the weight of live ducklings reaches 1.6 kilograms. The best of them are left to replenish the parent's herd, and the rest are allowed for meat. The most promising breeds of this type of duck are Orpington and Khaki Campbell, 3. Ducks of the meat type have a good live weight and are quite early. The following breeds belong to this type of birds: Moscow, gray Ukrainian, Beijing, black white-breasted ducks, white Rouen and Ailes Bury.
Next, black ducks will be discussed in more detail, one of which is the above-mentioned black white-breasted meat-type duck.
Black duck: photo, general information
First of all, it should be emphasized that ducks of this type are characterized by precocity. These beautiful birds have rich black plumage. It is noteworthy that the breeds of these ducks can live in a wide variety of habitats.
For the most part, black ducks are domesticated birds that are slaughtered at about 65 days of age if sufficiently well fed.
Black ducks are mainly divided into two types: white-breasted, coots. After reading the article, you canunderstand the difference between a black white-breasted domesticated duck and a wild coot.
Black white-breasted ducks are one of the most common breeds grown on numerous Russian farms.
Coots are wild birds, which can be found mostly in natural reservoirs overgrown with vegetation, especially in warm seasons.
About black white-breasted ducks
This bird is quite large.
It is characterized by the black plumage of the torso, head, upper body and abdomen. Drakes (males) are distinguished by the presence of a blue-violet tint in the upper part of the neck. They have black legs and white feathers on their lower chests.
Black white-breasted ducks have short legs of moderate thickness, and they are located much closer to the back of the body than other birds. The beak, slightly concave inward, of medium length, has a completely dark color. Black shiny eyes are quite large. Well-developed strong wings fit well to the sides of the body.
The live weight of the male reaches 3.5-4 kilograms with full fattening, and the female - up to 3.5 kilograms. On average, the level of egg production reaches 115-140 eggs per year. However, it remains for several years.
This duck is recognized as the best for rearing. The carcasses of the black white-breasted duck have white skin. Its meat is very tasty and he althy, has a higher fat content and better taste, unlike many other breeds.
Their egg production isapproximately 120 eggs, and the weight of the eggs is 80-90 grams.
This black duck is a well-fed breed and very early maturing. The total weight of carcasses of ducks slaughtered at about 65 days of age reaches an average of up to 2.5 kilograms. Moreover, their meat is much more nutritious and fatter than the meat of ducks of other species.
Coot: habitats, description
The black coot duck is another representative of the birds of this group. Usually their habitat is the picturesque oxbows of river floodplains and shallow lakes, which have managed to fairly overgrow with various surface plants and reeds.
These birds are very fond of water, but they do not like deeper water with open areas.
Duck of this breed is easy to recognize by its bright distinctive color. A black duck with a white beak is deep black with a white spot on its forehead. Paws with long gray toes are yellowish-orange.
The live weight of adults reaches one kilogram, but there are also one and a half kilograms. Males are larger than females.
People call this duck differently: “official”, due to the similarity of the plumage color with a snow-white plaque on the forehead with a strict black suit and white shirt; "black loon", because in demeanor, flight and temper it is similar to this bird. There is another name - "water chicken", because of the calm nature and in connection with easy tameability. The latter should be done with caution, since during the nesting period their behavior is aggressive. Black ducks (coots) do not regret andwith their sharp claws drive away even their relatives during the mating season.
A curious fact about the coot
If something bothers or disturbs the bird while it is building a nest, it will usually immediately abandon the work it has begun and swim away in search of another nesting site.
Therefore, in many reservoirs, habitats of black coot ducks, you can see many unfinished floating uninhabited nests.
There is another curious thing about coots. The males of this breed of birds build a separate nest for themselves, designed exclusively for them, where they rest from difficult parental troubles.
Conclusion
Ducks are special, cute and interesting birds. Many have an interest in them not only in gastronomic terms.
Both wild representatives of this species and grown in poultry farming - they are all inimitable and unique. Nature has endowed each species with its unique features, both in their disposition and behavior, and in appearance.
Very happy that quite often you can see people along the coast of city ponds, feeding these amazing and cute, almost domesticated birds.
