Ducks are one of the few species of animal that are equally at home in a pond or a park. They are part of the anatidae family along with Geese and Swans but unlike these relatives, ducks are often mistaken for other birds. They, along with Geese are also often kept as livestock.
Ducks have been known to live for as little a 2 years and up to over 20 years old, but this is at the extreme ends. They can adapt vey well to living in captivity as well as in the wild but does their habitat effect how long they live? And does age span differ from breed to breed?
In this article, we’ll explore the average lifespan of different types of duck and some of the factors that influence how long they live.
How long do ducks live?
The average lifespan of a duck is 5-10 years in the wild, 10-15 years in captivity, but this does vary across species and also across habitats. Here are some of the most common types of duck breed and details about their lifespans.
How long do Mallard ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 3-10 Years in the wild, 10-15 Years in captivity
Domestic Or Wild: Both
Region: Widespread across Europe, North America and North Africa. Introduced to many southern hemisphere countries too, particularly in South America.
The mallard is very common and distributed widely across the globe. It is hardy and found in a variety of habitats from one extreme in the Siberian Arctic to the other in North Africa.
They tend to lay 8-13 eggs when breeding, but infant mortality rates are high. There are also many predators for the mallard and their chicks, and only half will make it to adulthood. They have to survive the threat of multiple birds of prey, and many other animals such as raptors, skunks, coyotes, snakes and some fish to name a few.
Life expectancy can be as low as three years in the wild but given the chance they can live much longer. This is easier in captivity where the average lifespan is higher.
How long do Pekin ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 8-12 Years in captivity,
Domestic Or Wild: Domestic
Region: USA originally, but bred in captivity around the globe.
The Pekin duck is commonly bred in captivity as both a pet and for food (eggs/meat). It originates in America from birds brought from china in the 1800s. If you have ever watched the show Friends, Joey and Chandler’s duck was a Pekin.
Pekin ducks lay a lot of eggs, and due to their existence predominantly as a domestic species, they can live pretty long lives. If they are kept for eggs rather than meat they obviously live longer, and the average lifespan is 8-12 years. They have been known to live longer though, with some owners claiming up to 20 years.
How long do Call ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 7-10 Years
Domestic Or Wild: Domestic
Region: Europe, North America
Call ducks are typically show birds, with 20 recognised colour variations. They are kept widely as ‘ornamental’ birds rather than for food. They tend to live for 7-10 years and there are not many examples of them living longer than this.
How long do Indian runner ducks live?
Average Lifespan: Around 2 Years in the wild, 8-12 Years in captivity
Domestic Or Wild: Both
Region: East Indies, Europe, America
The Indian Runner is a subspecies of the Mallard, but you might not know that from looking at it. It originated in the East Indies but became very popular in Europe and America because of it’s incredible output as an egg layer. The Indian Runner can lay up to 350 eggs per year! That’s double the average of a Pekin duck. They don’t make good pets but they lay plenty eggs, and they love to eat many pests such as slugs and snails.
Infant mortality rates in the Indian Runner are incredibly high. Partly because their eggs are wide open to predators. They are not really a nesting bird, and just seem to lay eggs as they are walking around, with no parental sense of protection.
The Indian Runner can’t fly either. Possibly why the ‘runner’ is in the name, as that is how they get around. With the ample egg laying, lack of coherence with nesting and the inability to fly, it’s no wonder the average life expectancy in the wild is only around 1 – 2 years. They fair far better in captivity where they can be expected to live up to around 12 years.
How long do Khaki Campbell ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 8-12 Years
Domestic Or Wild: Domestic
Region: Europe, North America and globally common as domestic breeding stock.
The Campbell duck and the later Khaki Campbell originated in the UK in the 19th Century. This breed is the direct result of selective breeding from Rouen, Indian Runner and Wild duck. It is a domestic breed with good exhibition and egg laying potential. As a domestic breed, in captivity the young are relatively well protected from predators and therefore life expectancy is above average for the Campbells.
The average lifespan is around 8-10 years by some estimates and 10-15 years in others.
How long does a Canvasback duck live?
Average Lifespan: Up to 16-22 Years based on record of birds caught.
Domestic Or Wild: Wild
Region: North America, Canada, some UK sightings
The Canvasback duck, is the largest species of diving duck in North America. They are particularly common in the prairie pothole region, but are still one of the least common duck species in North America.
As they are wild birds, dating an average life expectancy is hard. Based on the records of birds caught and recorded, the canvasback duck can live to between 16 and 22 years old. But the average is expected to be much lower than that. Known predators include bald eagles and snapping turtles.
The Canvasback is listed as a bird of special concern, but thankfully numbers have recovered greatly since the 1990s.
How long do American Black Ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 2-4 years in the wild, 9-10 years in captivity
Domestic Or Wild: Both
Region: Eastern Canada and United States
Wild American Black ducks breed in the central and eastern states of Canada. Then spend the most of the time in the north-east and eastern states of America. They have quite a short migration range, around 800 miles. They are slow and heavy birds, which may contribute to their low life expectancy in the wild.
While these birds are predominantly wild, they are a good breed for domestic rearing, particularly on a small scale farms and homesteads, for both eggs and as pest control (they love eating insects).
In captivity they live much longer on average than in the wild. Captive birds average 9-10 years. Though the oldest recorded is nearly three times that!
How long does a Marbled duck live?
Average Lifespan: 20-30 Years
Domestic Or Wild: Wild
Region: Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Asia
According to many sources, including Seaworld, the Marbled Duck (Marbled Teal) has an average lifespan of 20-30 years. This is much greater than the average across other duck breeds. It is particularly impressive when you consider these are wild and not domestic birds.
There are examples of Marbled ducks in animal parks/zoos, but they are not very sociable outside their species. They are quick to flight when alarmed.
Despite their higher than average life expectancy, the marbled duck is listed as vulnerable. There is a global population of around 55,000 – 60,000 birds and that number is declining.
How long do Muscovy ducks live?
Average Lifespan: 6-10 Years in the wild, 8-12 Years in captivity
Domestic Or Wild: Both
Region: South and Central America, Southern United States
The Muscovy duck is a nonmigratory species. They are one of the oldest domesticated species of fowl and are common in the wild across most of South America. Wild populations in America are spotted only in Texas, but they are kept in captivity far and wide.
In the wild, a Muscovy duck can be expected to live between 6 to 10 years. Whereas in captivity the life expectancy is longer, averaging between 8 to 12 years. Young birds and hatchlings are particularly vulnerable to predators such as raccoons, hawks, alligators and foxes, as well as domestic cats and dogs.
There are several reports of birds living to around 15. They are good for homesteads and as pets as they are friendly birds, and fond of insects.
Do ducks live longer in the wild or captivity?
Its a fact that a wild duck can live 20 years or more, but the vast majority do not live that long. A wild duck will normally live for around 10 years on average but it does depend on the species. Canvasback ducks have been known to live more than 15 years. Then there is the marbled duck (marbled teal) which is known to live between 20-30 years. This would appear to be the exception that proves the rule.
Domestic ducks typically live 10 – 15 years in captivity, but have also been known to reach 20. The world record is a Mallard Drake that lived to a ripe old age of 27 years.
Generally speaking ducks have the potential to live longer in captivity than in the wild. This is true for Mallards, Muscovy and Pekin ducks that are all commonly kept as pets. Some contributing factors are that there is less risk from predators, competition and environmental pressure when living in a controlled environment. Health can also be regulated when in the hands of a human with resources to protect and provide ideal conditions.
The Oldest Ducks On Record
As mentioned above, there is record of a Mallard that lived to the age of 27.
In 1978 an American Black duck was recorded to have reached 26 years and 5 months old.
The oldest wild canvasback recorded was over 22 years old.
The oldest duck recorded in the UK was 21 year old Earnie who entered the record books in 2019.
These are impressive, but none come close to the oldest ever recorded. According to the Guinness book of world records, the oldest ducks ever recorded belonged to a lady called Gladys Blackbeard from South Africa. While the breed is unclear, the birds were entered into the books at 49 years old!
Summary
There is a commonality around how long ducks live, but it does vary across the breeds. At one end you have the Marbled duck that can live between 20-30 years in the wild. At the other end you have the Indian Runners that average only 1 to 2 years in the wild. But that being said, most birds on average will live between 5-10 years in the wild.
It would also be true to say that most species, for a variety of reasons will live longer in captivity than in the wild. The best example of this again is the Indian Runner, that can live much longer, up to 12 years in captivity. In this sense, a domestic duck has a similar life expectancy to some dogs or cats.