What Eats Ducks In The Wild? (List Of Duck Predators)

Disclaimer: The information presented below is for general informational & educational purposes only. Always consult with animal professionals in case of specific concerns.

“What eats ducks?” is a common question by many people interested in this animal.

Knowing the predators helps the big ducks better protect their young.

Your ducks have to defend against land and water animals, such as foxes, badgers, minks, etc. Ducklings are potential targets for many predators.

We will discuss each predator in how they attack the ducks. Let’s check them one by one and learn how to keep the birds safe.

What Eats Ducks?

Ducks are ideal prey for raccoons and foxes. Also, there are many other threats to this animal, such as corvids, turtles, bobcats, minks, or badgers.

Let’s look at the predators of ducks one by one.

Fox

foxes

These creatures, a member of the Canidae family, have a distinctive red fur mane that can frighten many weak animals.

Rex foxes prey on ducks. You may see them stalking ducks around and in their feeding areas, and they can become so aggressive that they would go out of their way to seek duck eggs.

Thanks to its superior sense of smell and hearing, the red fox can efficiently hunt ducks as food.

The fox can properly detect quack sounds and attack its innocent target when the time is perfect. Duck eggs, which they often whisk away as future meals, are a reward in their quest.

Related: What Eats Foxes In The Wild?

Badgers

Badgers are predators that eat numerous types of animals, including earthworms, insects, birds, and small mammals.

Badgers have an advantage over their victims due to their incredible ability to dig and hunt deep underground.

Though badgers are not dangerous to human, your ducks should be attentive to them. A badger’s sharp claws and muscular limbs may easily overpower these water birds.

Raccoons

Raccoons are land mammals that belong to the Procyonidae family. You can easily find them in America, and they love to live in the woods.

Many specialists consider raccoons to be omnivores, as their diet consists of a balanced combination of plants, vertebrates, and tiny invertebrates.

If their hunting habits bring them to the area of a duck’s nest, though, these creatures will succumb to their hunger.

Raccoons have razor-sharp teeth and claws, making them dangerous predators.

Raccoons can subdue these water birds with their bite, successfully disabling them from defending. After defeating the parents, they will aim for the eggs in the nest.

Minks

Minks, along with raccoons, are some typical animals with claws. In the hunt for food, they like to cross ditches and streams.

These animals are carnivores that eat a variety of species, including small mammals, aquatic life, and even birds.

These are agile and fast creatures with unique trunk motions that allow them to swim speedily underwater.

They have versatile breathing mechanisms that allow them to stay underwater for a long time to catch fish as well as other aquatic creatures.

Despite their small size and soft demeanor, the minks are vicious predators of ducks. They love to chase ducks in the water, using their strong bite to attack their necks.

Minks use their teeth to sink deep into the prey’s neck or head to subdue a duck. After taking control, the mink drowns the ducks before restarting their hunt.

Corvids

Corvids belong to the same group as magpies, ravens, crows, and other avian animals often called the “crow family.

These creatures are typically black-feathered birds having high intellect and a predilection for hunting in flocks.

People used to think that the crow was one of the top predators of birds like ducks.

However, due to the raven’s nature, they have discovered that the raven has been in more severe danger in recent years.

These birds are excellent at scaring ducklings and nests from their elevated perch. They swoop down and impale the ducklings with their razor-sharp beaks.

The eggs in the nests are easily attacked by corvid birds when left unprotected.

Snapping Turtles

The snapping turtle is a big freshwater turtle that belongs to the Chelydridae family.

This turtle is the most enigmatic on the list. It turns out to be the most combative of all the turtle species when moving on land.

Checking their appearance, you can easily notice the aggression of these reptiles. Their formidable jaws, which resemble a bird’s beak, sit atop a mobile and long neck, earning them the moniker.

Their jaws can produce significant biting force, which may subdue any inexperienced victim.

Snapping turtles enjoy taking advantage of ducks. A careless duck may end up inside the snapping turtle’s attacking range.

This predator can clamp down its teeth on the duck’s neck, turning the bird into delicious prey flesh before recognizing the threat.

Bobcats

bobcat

These medium-sized cats love to live in the woods. They are solitary animals with whiskered faces that stay within zones where they’ve defined their limits.

Bobcats are skilled hunters because they know how to wait for the perfect moment to attack their target.

Not only bobcats attack chickens, they also hunt ducks in the vicinity of water bodies where they assemble.

Bobcats hide behind cover, waiting for unlucky birds to approach before attacking.

They dig into the duck’s flesh with their powerful claws, then finish the hunt with a deadly neck bite.

How To Keep Ducks Safe From Predators?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for protecting your animal from attackers.

However, following these guidelines will guarantee that they live longer in a safe environment.

Build a fence

Foxes, stray dogs, raccoons, and other predators won’t be able to get into your property because of the fence.

Because these predators may jump over low barriers, make sure your fence is tall and built of durable materials such as metal that they can’t chew easily.

Build a coop

A duck’s enemies don’t only include dogs, foxes, or four-footed animals. Snakes and rodents can also hurt your lovely birds.

Snakes can’t get through tiny holes in a nicely-built coop. It also has a lock or lid that dogs can’t unlatch.

It’s crucial to build a sturdy coop for your ducks since it will protect them from predators, but you must also check it for flaws and holes regularly.

If you live in an area where attackers such as skunks and dogs are numerous, they will target the coop.

Sliding the wires apart or making a hole in the coop may weaken it over time, allowing them to reach your pets.

As a result, always check the coop and repair any damage caused by invaders and predators as soon as possible.

Keep ducks with large animals

what eats ducks

You can scare the predators away by keeping large animals with your ducks.

Predators are opportunists. They like to stay silent when grabbing their victim.

If they see your ducklings stay near larger animals such as turkeys or goats, they will run.

People often raise Australian shepherds for the safety of their ducklings. If you can afford one, you can try this tip.

Use scarecrows

You can build scarecrows to keep ravens away from your ducks.

Scarecrows placed tactically along their run can fool ravens into assuming they are humans. They also frighten hawks away.

This tip can work, yet, it requires energy since you have to reposition the scarecrows. Smart predators realize they are a ploy if they stay there too long.

Watch your ducks

If you want to take your ducks out of their house to run about and play, make sure you are there to keep an eye on them.

Ducks are good pets and are relatively easy to take care of. However, they can’t defend themselves. Hence, make sure that their habitat is safe.

Wild ducks can only live for three to five years, while a well-cared-for farmed duck may live for ten years.

Tips For Setting Up A Safe Duck House

If you want to raise ducks at home, the duck house must be secure and healthy. Here are some crucial pointers to note:

  • Cover the ceiling, floor, and walls with welded mesh with thick wire.
  • Check to see if the pen has enough room.
  • Keep the house away from direct sunlight and put the pen in a shady place.
  • Insulate the aluminum enclosure so these water birds don’t get too hot because extreme heat can kill them.
  • Your pen should be easy to clean and maintain. Using rice husks is a sanitary method of handling duck poo.
  • Make sure to rake the hulls carefully.
  • Make room for nesting. A cardboard box stacked on its side can be a secure nesting location.
  • Ducks lay and bury their eggs. Hence, try to top the nest with mulch or wood shavings.
  • Shield food and water containers from moisture and dirt.
  • Set up a second water container. These animals love water, so make sure the enclosure has a container where they can dip their heads and bathe.
  • The container should have a shallow border so the animals can easily get in there and out.

You can learn more tips for building the house right here:

Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions and answers will give you more information about these water birds’ enemies. Let’s check.

Why do ducks beat up other ducks?

There are three reasons for this problem:

  • A powerful drake enjoys trying to assault another duck to maintain the pecking order.
  • If you witness two drakes attacking each other, they are likely fighting for mates.
  • A dominating drake will not share his meal with the other ducks. To keep the others away from the meal, it will begin fighting them.

What predator eats only the head of a duck?

Raccoons may often drag a bird’s head and then eat the head only, abandoning the rest of the body behind.

How do ducks protect themselves from predators?

Flight is the mallard’s primary defense. They can rise from the water, hover for a little moment, and then take off.

A mother duck can hiss at an attacker to scare it away from her eggs and ducklings. If a duck gets caught, it will try to chase the attacker away using its wings.

Will a goose protect ducks?

Yes. Geese may be great guardians for smaller birds, especially if they use their temperamental nature.

Conclusion

What eats ducks? They are accessible prey in the wild and are hunted by badgers, foxes, raccoons, corvids, and more.

If you use the raising tips above, you might be able to help these water birds live longer and safer.