10 Birds that Look Like Ducks

Do you know that some birds look exactly like ducks? Surprised? I was surprised and curious to know too but my recent research has ended my curiosity. So, I decided to help you in knowing these birds better.

The birds that look quite similar to the ducks are;

• Western Grebe
• American Coot
• Common Loon
• Brown Pelican
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Tundra Swan
• Double-Crested Cormorant
• Common Moorhen
• White Pelican
• Horned Grebe
• Brant

Birds that Look Like Ducks

1. Western Grebe 

The largest North American Grebe is locally famous with “dabchick”, ” swan-necked grebe”, and ” swan grebe.” The Western Gerbe find their homes near lakes with marsh vegetation and open water.

This bird is often complimented by their bright eyes and yellow bill. The Western Grebes are a dedicated parent, they are often seen carrying their newborn babies on their backs. The baby Grebes and their parents communicate with each other by making ticking sounds.

This bird makes kr-r-rick, kr-r-rick sound to call their fellas. The Western Grebe is found in Southern California, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Texas.

Weight

Male 

1 – 2 kg

Female

1 – 1.4 kg

Prominent Features 

Bright eyes and yellow bills

2. American Coot

The American Coot, a bird of the Rallidae family, is commonly known as Pouldeau or Mud Hen. The American Coots, due to supernatural similarities, are often mistaken as ducks. Most of the American Coots are living on the wetlands and open bodies of North America.

The American Coot is considered a migratory bird as it keeps on migrating between the Southwest United States and South Panama in the winter and breeding season. 

The American Coots are often recognized by their strong legs, big feet, and lobed toes, etc. These birds survive on algae, duckweed, sedges, wild rice, eelgrass, wild celery, hydrilla, water lilies, cattails, and water milfoil, etc.

Weight

Male

300 – 450 g

Female

300 – 330 g

Prominent Features

Strong legs, big feet, and lobed toes

3. Common Loon

Common Loons that are also called Great Northern Divers are often praised for their broad blackheads, greenish/bluish, or purplish sheens, and blackish-grey upperparts. 

Common Loons fill their tummy with crustaceans, insect larvae, fish, mollusks, and aquatic plants. Common Loons are blessed with striking red eyes, white stripings, blackheads, and spots on their back.

The common Loons prefer to live in colder regions of Canada, New England, Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, and Scotland. Common Loons produces four different sounds and each sound has a different purpose.

Weight

Male

1.6 – 8 kg

Female

1.6 – 7.6 kg

Prominent Features

Broad blackheads, greenish/bluish, or purplish sheens, and blackish-grey upperparts. 

4. Brown Pelican

Brown pelican is a prominent well-admired member of the Pelican birds family. This bird is commonly seen strolling around on the mouth of the Amazon River, Pacific Coast of British Columbia, Atlantic Coast of New Jersey, Northern Chile, and the Islands of Galapagos.

The male and female members of this community have a lot of similarities except the females are a bit shorter and compact as compared to the males. The Brown Pelican is considered the smallest bird in this family. These birds live and fly in flocks.

The Brown Pelican lives on fishes, amphibians, crustaceans, and nestling birds. Pigfish, pinfish, sheepshead, silversides, herring, mullets, sardines, and minnows.

Weight

Male 

2 – 3.1 kg

Female

2 – 3 kg

Prominent Features

Short compacted body structure 

5. Pied-billed Grebe

This water-bird is abundantly found throughout the ponds of the Americas. The Pied-billed Grebe likes to build their home near freshwater, wetlands, and emergent vegetation.

The Pied-billed Grebe spends most of their life swimming rather than flying above the water. These Grebes are known for laying two sets of eggs each year. This water-bird is pigeon-sized and has chicken-like-beaks.

The Pied-billed Grebes are considered the most less-social Grebes that do not mind being alone. Their younger ones are often fed at the feathers and these feathers help them regurgitate bones.

Weight

Male

300 to 430 g

Female

300 to 400 g

Prominent Features

Large blocky head, slender neck, small chunky body, and thick and short bill

6. Double-Crested Cormorant

Double-Crested Cormorant is a common dark blackbird that is found in Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico, North America, Florida, and England. It is distinguished by the medium-sized tail, webbed feet, stocky body, and a medium hooked bill.

These birds are often seen taking a deep swim in freshwater, lakes, rivers, and seas. The Double-Crested Cormorant lives on eating fishes, amphibians, and crustaceans.

These water-birds are social and they prefer with other aquatic birds in colonies. They have been blessed with long tail, yellow throat patch, and brown and white face, foredeck, and breasts.

Weight

Male

1.8 – 2.7 kg

Female

1.8 – 2 kg

Prominent Features

medium-sized tail, webbed feet, stocky body, a medium hooked bill, long tail, yellow throat patch, and brown and white face, foredeck, and breasts.

7. Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen is also referred to as Gallinula Chloropus, water hen, and swamp chicken in most parts of the world. It is often found in a marshy environment, ponds, canals, wetlands, and well-vegetative lacks. 

The Common Moorhen is also a migratory bird that moves to the temperate climate when the water freezes. Like most of the water-birds, they live on vegetables and small aquatic creatures.

The Common Moorhen is often described as a “Secretive bird” that can later be tamed with care and affection. Even after a major loss of habitat, it is still found in abundance in their favorable areas.

Weight

Male

300 – 340 g

Female 

300 – 320 g

Prominent Features

Red-yellow beaks, long green legs, dark brown wings, and bluish black belly

8. White Pelican

White Pelican is a large duck-like bird that has black wingtips and an enormous orange bill. They are admired for swimming in slow peaceful strokes. Unlike most of the members of their community, the White Pelican does not dive for fish alone they rather believe in co-operative missions.

The White Pelican has a habit of nesting in colonies near freshwater lakes. A majority of the total population of White Pelican is living near the lakes of Inland North America.

The White Pelican is referred to with different Scientific and Latin names; Pelecanus and Erythrorhynchos. This graceful bird eats more than 4 pounds of fish every day. Carp, chubs, catfish, shiners, yellow perch, and jackfish are their common prey.

Weight

Male

4 – 6.9 kg

Female

4 – 6.1 kg

Prominent Features

Snowy white color, yellow-orange legs, black wingtips and an enormous orange bill

9. Horned Grebe

The horned grebe is a small water-bird that looks a lot like a duck. Horned Grebe, belonging to the family of Podicipedidae, is widely found in North America, Northern Europe, and Western China.

These aquatic birds are called Horned Grebe because of the large patches of yellow feathers behind the eyes. Their beaks are pointy straight and have a basic white tip.

Flat forehead, moderately-long neck, and black feather crown make them stand out in the crowd. Because of the similar size, coloring, and body structure the Horned Grebe is often confused with Black-Necked Grebe.

Weight

Male

300 – 570 g

Female

350 – 450 g

Prominent Features

Yellow feathers behind ears, pointy straight beak with white tip

10. Brant

Brant that is also spelt as “Brent” can be caught roaming around in the temperate-zone-sea-coasts, Wadden sea, long island sound, and high arctic tundra.  Blackhead, grey breast, white rump, rich brown body, and white necklace compliment their style.

This aquatic bird eats eelgrass and aquatic vegetation to fulfill their needs. The nesting of Brant occurs in loose colonies, majorly on the small island of tundra ponds.

The baby Brants leave the nest within two days of their birth and start following their parents in a food hunt.  Moreover, just like the migratory birds, they have a habit of exploring unknown places.

Weight

Male

1.2 kg

Female

1 kg

Prominent Features

Blackhead, grey breast, white rump, rich brown body, and white necklace

These were the few aquatic birds that are quite often mistaken as ducks, but the list doesn’t end here. It’s impossible to write every bird down( with details) so if you are interested to know, here are the names of the birds that have got some similarities with the ducks;

• Canada Goose
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Lesser Scaup
• American Wigeon
• Surf Scoter
• Canvasback
• Clark’s Grebe
• Red-Necked Grebe
• Emperor Goose
• Ross’s Goose
• Greater-White-fronted Goose
• Smew

Related Articles

• White Geese breeds
• Black and White Duck Breeds
• Can Ducks Eat Cheese?

In the end, the information provided here is gathered from thorough research. I’m not a professional researcher so it can be faulty. For more specific information I would suggest you visit Wikipedia. Lastly, I hope the article has helped you with whatever reason you are reading. Keep researching and expanding your knowledge. Good Luck! 

Resources

• Allaboutbirds
• Brant Bird overview

• Research Gate
• Double-crested Cormorants