Odd as it may seem, a quick Google search reveals people are genuinely curious about one question: do ducks have teeth?
They do in fact have serrations on their bills to help grasp food like fish and these are used as a filter! According to ThoughtCo. like other species of birds, ducks do not have any actual teeth.
"But many species do have rows of thin bristles in their mouths that help them scoop and filter nutrient particles out of the water. These bristles aren't teeth, but they sure do look like them.
"Incidentally, this water filtering system is similar to the way in which whales feed in the ocean."
Do ducks have teeth on their tongue?
According to The Spruce, ducks do not have teeth! Ducks do have several different specialized bill structures that help breakdown any food they eat.
"For example, ducks have an elongated, flattened bill shape. This spatulate shape helps the birds crush food similar to teeth, but without the same strength for pulverizing tough foods, and ducks don't repeatedly chew as they eat."
One of the most popular reason people raise pet ducks is they eat slugs and snails, which are gross and all around where I live in the Pacific Northwest. Proper care of ducks isn't as difficult as other animal, but rest assured, they won't come charging in the hopes of taking a bite!
How many teeth do ducks have?
Ducks have what are called lamellae, which are thin, comb-like structures on the sides of a duck's bill — They're just inside the edge of the bill and can look like serrated teeth. These are used for straining food from mud or water.
Do ducks chew?
If you ever watch a duck eat, you'll see them >nibbling or make chewing motions to help position morsels inside their bills so they can swallow each bite whole. Soft foods are broken up into small pieces, but ducks aren't actually chewing.
Do you live with ducks or do you plan to bring some to your homestead? We love waterfowl and would consider adding ducks, but sometimes chickens and ducks just don't mix well. Domestic ducks really need an area all to themselves with a nice water source and some aquatic plants. We just don't have a good set up for domestic ducks.
Do you have a fave species of duck? We've heard Mallard ducks are fun and Muscovy ducks are both great additions.
We hope this better explains that ducks just don't have true teeth. Those comb-like structures in their mouths are used to chew food but they don't literally chew but eat their food whole. They eat mussels and small fish!
Baby ducks are fuzzy and adorable! Remember that if you male ducks with female ducks make sure you don't have too many drakes.
Know someone who would like to add ducks to their backyard flock? Tell us in the comments below!
