Dabbler
Colorado, USA
There are several differences between Dabbler and Diver ducks. Dabblers sit higher in the water, and upon takeoff typically just spring from the water and fly. Divers have heavier bodies and smaller wings. Thus, they sit lower in the water and must run across the surface to gain speed. Dabblers prefer shallow habitats like marshes, flooded fields, ponds, and slow-moving creeks, since they feed by reaching the bottom with their necks. They are famous for "upending"—tipping their tails skyward while submerging their heads to reach aquatic plants, seeds, and insects. Divers disappear completely underwater to hunt fish or reach deep-water plants, often staying submerged for 20–30 seconds.
A dabbler’s legs are positioned in the center of their body, making them graceful walkers on land, where they often graze on grass or grain. Divers’ legs are set far back near the tail (like boat propellers). This makes them powerful swimmers but very clumsy on land, where they walk with a vertical, penguin-like waddle.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
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