Secki Ducks
A national favourite
The Secki duck is a species of dabbling duck found primarily in mid-Dysvoll. They are very common in Minnaha and Ashilder as well as some areas of Fennlad and Olinthis.
They are regarded as a national symbol by the Ashildans. The Secki ducks are very popular amongst humans, both as game birds and because they are considered adorable animals.
The traits that set them apart from other duck species are their striking blue eyes and the red feathers on their cheek and ear area.
Their unique eyes and blushy cheeks are traits loved by humans and make them stand out from similar-looking duck species.
Their beaks and feet are a rosy orange colour which compliments their pink cheeks and light cream coloured appearance.
The Secki duck species shows significantly less sexual dimorphism compared to most duck species. To the untrained eye, female and male Secki ducks look the same. The main difference between the two is, that the female ducks tend to have less dark colouring around the eyes, and the males' blushy cheeks tend to be slightly larger.
One unusual thing about the Secki ducks is, that their webbed feet have 4 toes instead of 3, like most other species of duck. Some take this to indicate that they aren't as closely related to other duck species as many think they are, but no official studies have been conducted.
The locals jest that the poor ducks have red cheeks because they were so cold up in the "freezing north".
I remember that I always wanted a blushing duck as a pet when I was younger. They're quite friendly if you handle them from they're young, but now that I am older, I would never keep one confined inside. They deserve to fly free and experience the great outdoors. Such magnificent creatures.
Morphology
The Secki ducks are a somewhat small duck species compared to the common duck. They are recognizable from their reddish brown plumage, cream-white feathers around the face and almost eye-liner-like dark feathers near the eyes. by Ninne124
Naming
The Secki Ducks get their official name from the Secki Plains, an area in Ashilder where the ducks often spend time and fly past. The Secki planes border the Esir River and are also close to the rivers that make up the border of Ashilder and Minnaha.Red Cheeks
The ducks are also nicknamed blushing ducks due to their red cheek feathers. This name is widely used in Minnaha and Ashilder, as well as some areas of Fennlad and Olinthis, probably because it fits well to the ducks' cute appearance.Cold ducks
The Secki ducks are sometimes referred to as cold ducks or winter ducks in Imrihlad and Behira. The ducks migrate to these nations during especially cold winters.The locals jest that the poor ducks have red cheeks because they were so cold up in the "freezing north".
Behaviour
The Secki duck species is known to be a mild-mannered duck, which isn't too spooked by human activity but is still apprehensive about getting too close. The female ducks are generally more hostile when they have ducklings with them, but act more defensive than offensive.Communication
"The duck goes quack" is a common thing for both adults and children to know, many teach their kids about animal sounds very early on.
However, not all ducks go quack. The Secki ducks are one the species that don't quack like the common duck does.
Instead of quacking, they have a call that sounds like a combination of a quack and a chirp, and it is more high-pitched than most other duck calls.
A common saying in Ashilder is that the blushing duck squeaks rather than quacks.
Male Secki ducks are known to squeak in a fast-paced pattern during mating season, sometimes competing with one another to see who can squeak the fastest.
This is meant to impress nearby females who haven't already formed a pair with another duck. This squeaking competition is often referred to as a squeak-off.
Habitat & distribution
The blushing duck is commonly found near and in ponds, rivers, lakes, marshes and canals. They generally aren't seen much in the ocean, though some Secki ducks have been observed in harbours if they know they will get fed by the humans there. Secki ducks are known to be migratory, though they don't always migrate far. The distance they travel highly depends on how harsh the winter gets. Oftentimes, the birds will seek just a bit south, but during the harshest winters, they might travel to the southernmost nations of Dysvoll.Feeding
Secki Ducks are considered dabbling ducks, which means they don't dive for their food like diving ducks do. Instead, they skim the surface of whatever water they're in, eating plant matter floating around in the upper layers of the water. Secki ducks are also excellent hunters of small amphibians and they also eat the occasional small fish that they may catch close to the water surface.Predators
The biggest threat to an adult Secki duck comes in the form of large birds of prey and humans. In water, a few large fish species can take down an adult duck, though not easily. Ducklings are quite vulnerable since they are quite slow and incapable of flying away from any potential threat. Large fish are a big threat while they are on water, and on land foxes and domestic cats and dogs pose a big threat as well.Relationship with humans
Secki ducks often live near human settlements and aren't shy to spend time in bodies of water within towns. Popular spots for ducks include ponds and canals where they know they might get a treat or two from a passerby. However, they generally don't get too close to humans. They aren't willing to eat from a human's hand unless they have been acquainted with the human for years, and even then, it still might not happen. Secki ducklings may imprint on humans by accident if the mother duck isn't nearby to care for them in the first few weeks after they hatch. This happens most often with late hatching, where a duck egg hasn't hatched and the mother duck has taken all of the other ducklings to a body of water and abandoned the nest. In these cases, it's common for humans to keep the ducks and have them as farm animals or odd family pets. However, Secki ducks don't do well with being indoors, so this is not recommended.
Ninne124
Scientific Name
Anas Rubens
Lifespan
7-14 years
Conservation Status
The Secki Ducks were once an endangered species due to overhunting. Ashilder holds an annual Duck Sum Upping to keep track of the number of ducks and imposes hunting bans if their numbers drop too low.
Geographic Distribution
Blushing Duck
Cold Duck
Winter Duck
Do we have a Duck Sum Upping in Minnaha you ask? No, no we do not. We do, of course, care about the Secki duck's survival and we make sure to track of their numbers over the years. We just don't go about it in such a flashy and public manner, it's really quite unnecessary if you ask me.
Secki Duck meat is quite delicious and rich. Especially the dark meat tastes amazing! But I do understand when we have breaks from hunting the ducks, we wouldn't want them to go extinct! My family have hunted Secki ducks for generations, and I'd like my children to be able to hunt them with their own kids as well.
Adorable! Wonderful art. <3 <3
Thank you so much :3 I had a lot of fun drawing it