Stats

Lifespan

10-20 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Flock

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

Northern Hemisphere

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Speed

Status

Common

About

This diving duck breeds in the arctic tundra and winters along northern coasts. It can plunge twenty feet underwater to forage for mollusks on the dark seafloor.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A clutch of eggs rests in a down-lined nest near water, covered and warmed by the brooding female.
2. 2.
   hatchling

   A downy hatchling follows its mother to the water within hours and feeds itself almost immediately.
3. 3.
   juvenile

   A juvenile grows its first true feathers, swimming in the family group and learning to dabble or dive.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown with adult plumage.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Anseriformes

Family

Anatidae

Genus

Aythya

Species

Aythya marila