Animal Fact File: Mallard Ducks
Which duck makes the classic “quack” you hear at ponds and parks? Surprisingly, it’s usually the female mallard!
Meet one of the world’s most widespread and adaptable ducks. Explore how mallards move between water, land, and sky, from tipping upside down to feed underwater to flying at speeds of around 55 miles per hour. You'll also discover why males and females look so different, how ducklings become independent within hours of hatching, and why healthy wetlands matter even to a species that seems to be everywhere.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
Meet nine wild animals that live in forests, parks, gardens, and neighborhoods: the red fox, white-tailed deer, mallard duck, striped skunk, eastern grey squirrel, raccoon, European badger, hedgehog, and hazel dormouse.
Click on each animal's picture to watch a short video, then click on its name for a fact about what makes it unusual, from its senses and behavior to the ways it has adapted to survive.
Some of these animals may live near you, while others are much harder to spot. Along the way, you'll learn how each one finds food, raises its young, avoids predators, and makes use of the habitat around it.
For Teachers and Parents:
Woodland Animals works well as an introduction to habitats and adaptations or as a self-guided activity for students working on their own or in pairs. Here are a few ways to use it:
- Before exploring: Ask students which of the nine animals they've seen in real life and where. It's a quick way to connect the lesson to their own surroundings.
- While exploring: Have students record one adaptation for each animal, such as a special sense, body feature, or behavior, and how it helps the animal survive.
- After exploring: Ask students to sort the animals by what they eat, when they're active, or how they avoid predators. They can then compare animals that share a habitat but survive in different ways.
- Extension: Some of these animals live in North America, some in Europe, and some in both. Students can research which ones live in their region and why others don't.
In Diving and Dabbling Ducks, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers are at a pond. They notice some ducks diving for food and others dipping their beaks into the water. Ranger Hamza explains how diving and dabbling ducks help keep the pond in balance. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks, Nature’s Pest Control, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers explore a garden. They notice that some plants have holes in the leaves! That means there are pests in the garden. Which animal might be able to keep the garden healthy? This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Where Do Ducks Live?, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers are on a quest to find ducks! Join them as they find a pond and learn about how ducks’ features make them unique, and how ducks disperse seeds. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In A Close Look at Duck Nests and Down Feathers, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers have found a duck nest! Tag along as they learn how ducks make nests and take a close look at ducks’ down feathers. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
In Ducks — From Beak to Feet, Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers find some ducks! Join the Ramblers as they learn how ducks have adapted to wetlands. This video is excerpted from BBC's Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, a nature exploration show in which Ranger Hamza and the Ramblers go on quests to discover nature’s wonders and the important role they play in our environment.
More Like This
What animal can warn an attacker with stomps, raised fur, and a lifted tail before turning its rear end into a surprisingly powerful defense?
Meet the striped skunk, a small mammal with a big reputation. Find out how its bold black-and-white markings serve as a warning, why spraying is actually a last resort, and how its sharp claws help it dig up dinner. You'll also discover where skunks make their homes, what they eat, and how these mostly nighttime animals manage to live surprisingly close to people.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
Can a squirrel really fly? Not exactly — but it can leap, fall, and glide through the air with surprising control.
Eastern grey squirrels may be familiar sights in parks and backyards, but there’s a lot going on behind those quick paws and bushy tails. Explore the climbing skills that help them navigate the treetops, the clever way they stash food for later, and the surprising role those forgotten nuts can play in growing new trees. You'll also discover how squirrels communicate, raise their young, and adapt to life in both forests and human neighborhoods.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
How can an animal identify what it’s holding without even looking at it? For the common raccoon, the answer is all in its paws.
Raccoons are equipped with remarkably sensitive front paws that help them explore, handle food, and investigate their surroundings. Find out how these dexterous mammals use touch, climbing skills, and an anything-goes diet to thrive in forests, wetlands, and neighborhoods. You'll also discover why raccoons sometimes seem to “wash” their food, where they sleep during the day, and how their adaptability can create both opportunities and challenges when they live near people.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
How many earthworms could a hungry badger eat in one night? More than 200 — and that’s just one of the surprising things about this underground-dwelling mammal.
Meet the European badger, a powerful digger that spends its days below ground and its nights exploring above it. Take a look inside a badger’s sett, discover how its strong claws and keen sense of smell help it find food, and find out why earthworms are such an important part of its diet. You'll also learn how badger families live together, raise their cubs, and keep their underground homes in order.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
What animal can warn an attacker with stomps, raised fur, and a lifted tail before turning its rear end into a surprisingly powerful defense?
Meet the striped skunk, a small mammal with a big reputation. Find out how its bold black-and-white markings serve as a warning, why spraying is actually a last resort, and how its sharp claws help it dig up dinner. You'll also discover where skunks make their homes, what they eat, and how these mostly nighttime animals manage to live surprisingly close to people.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
Can a squirrel really fly? Not exactly — but it can leap, fall, and glide through the air with surprising control.
Eastern grey squirrels may be familiar sights in parks and backyards, but there’s a lot going on behind those quick paws and bushy tails. Explore the climbing skills that help them navigate the treetops, the clever way they stash food for later, and the surprising role those forgotten nuts can play in growing new trees. You'll also discover how squirrels communicate, raise their young, and adapt to life in both forests and human neighborhoods.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
How can an animal identify what it’s holding without even looking at it? For the common raccoon, the answer is all in its paws.
Raccoons are equipped with remarkably sensitive front paws that help them explore, handle food, and investigate their surroundings. Find out how these dexterous mammals use touch, climbing skills, and an anything-goes diet to thrive in forests, wetlands, and neighborhoods. You'll also discover why raccoons sometimes seem to “wash” their food, where they sleep during the day, and how their adaptability can create both opportunities and challenges when they live near people.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
How many earthworms could a hungry badger eat in one night? More than 200 — and that’s just one of the surprising things about this underground-dwelling mammal.
Meet the European badger, a powerful digger that spends its days below ground and its nights exploring above it. Take a look inside a badger’s sett, discover how its strong claws and keen sense of smell help it find food, and find out why earthworms are such an important part of its diet. You'll also learn how badger families live together, raise their cubs, and keep their underground homes in order.
Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:
- Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
- Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
- Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
- Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
- Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
- Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
- Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)