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The opposite gender of duck is drake. While a duck refers to a female bird in this species, a drake specifically refers to the male counterpart. These gender-specific terms are commonly used to differentiate between male and female ducks, particularly in farming, birdwatching, and scientific studies.
The Gender of Ducks
In the English language, certain animal species have specific terms for males and females. For ducks:
Duck refers to the female.
Drake refers to the male.
Both terms belong to the category of common nouns. Unlike humans, where gender distinctions are often generalised, animals like ducks have unique words to identify their genders.
How to Identify a Drake vs a Duck
While the terms make it easy to distinguish, you can also identify ducks and drakes through their physical appearance:
Male Duck (Drake):
Often has more vibrant plumage.
Features a curled feather at the tail end.
Produces a raspy and quieter call.
Female Duck (Duck):
Typically has duller, camouflaged feathers (often brown).
Lacks the distinctive curled tail feather.
Produces louder and sharper quacking sounds.
Fun Fact About Ducks
Did you know that ducks are highly social and communicate with each other using various vocalisations? Female ducks (hens) are known for their loud quacking, which they use to call their ducklings or alert other ducks of danger. Meanwhile, male drakes often remain quieter.
Common Doubts in English
