Ducks are friendly, curious creatures who enjoy living in family groups. In addition to wild ducks, there are several domesticated varieties who lack the ability to fly more than a few feet. All of these, with the exception of the Muscovy Duck are descended from the Mallard Duck. Ducks are popular barnyard animals and backyard pets because certain breeds, notably the Campbell Khaki and the Indian Runner Ducks among others, can give an egg-laying chicken a run for her money. Ducks are quite a bit messier than chickens as they enjoy playing in the mud, splashing water around and fouling their water dish and their feces is rather wet and stinky(this can vary with diet).
Some Ducky Folklore
Ducks are exceptionally curious creatures as illustrated by the Lakota tale Iktomi and the Ducks. The story also illustrates their reputation for being silly and sorely lacking in the intelligence department: exhibits A & B - Donald Duck and Daffy Duck. Indeed, if you've ever observed a pair of ducks in springtime, the boys do seem somewhat oblivious as the ladies lead them around- right into traffic at times.
The Ojibwe story of Shingebiss tells of a little merganser duck's fortitude: Not just his perseverance through hard times, his cheerful perseverance. And, just as important, his unwillingness to view someone set on doing him harm as an enemy. No, he just went about his business until the enemy gave up on being an enemy and went about his! It's all about resilience.
Ducks as Omens
- It is said that if a duck quacks more or louder than usual, then rain is coming
- To hear the quack of a wild duck is an omen of coming prosperity.
- If you see a duck flying, your troubles and sadness will soon be relieved.
- If a duck lays unusually dark-colored eggs it means misfortune for the household. The duck should be destroyed or hung upside down to avoid this.
- If a wild duck comes to visit you, you should take some time to connect with your family.
The Symbolism of Ducks
Ducks are most closely connected to the water element and an image of a duck or a duck feather can represent this for ritual purposes. They represent emotional connections to others, comforting and protecting others and being emotionally flexible.
Ducks are especially interesting in that they are creatures who are comfortable in all the material realms; Earth, Sky and Sea. Ducks are thus a symbol of freedom, flexibility and adaptability as well as the connections between heaven and Earth, spirit and material, the astral and the physical and travel and transition between these realms.
In China, the Mandarin Duck symbolizes a happy marriage and fidelity and is used in wedding decor. The idea of a male and female duck playing in the water is an allegory of the ideal marriage. In Feng Shui, images of the Mandarin duck are used to enhance and heal marital relationships in the home (place in the Southwest portion of the home or bedroom).
Dreaming of Ducks
If you see a duck (or ducks) in your dream, it represents freedom from rigid rules, flexibility, adaptability. If the duck is flying, it is spiritual freedom, if the duck is swimming it is your emotions or unconscious needs or desires that are being addressed. If he is resting on the Earth about a more material aspect of your life, most likely domestic, especially if she is nesting.
If the ducks in your dream are particularly lovely and well-feathered, this is a positive sign. It may represent a wealthy and cheerful person in your life who will affect you in one way or another (what's the duck doing, where is he?)
If the bird is molting and looking bedraggled, someone's freedom or adaptability is being hampered by someone in a more prominent position of power or finances.
If the duck is killed, by someone other than yourself, someone is meddling in your affairs. If you kill it, your focus is misplaced.
If the duck is wounded, this symbolizes great sadness coming to you through your family.
If the duck speaks to you, your lack of clear perception about a situation (spiritual, emotional or domestic, depending on what the duck was doing before he started talking) is blocking your ability to deal with it appropriately.
If the duck is white, there is some deception going on.
If there are lots of ducks, it symbolizes abundance. Also, a duck coming toward you indicates abundance coming your way.
Being attacked by a duck indicates a minor setback.
Eating duck means indicates prosperity through the efforts of another.
If you hear the quacking of a duck in a specific place, but can't find the duck, misfortune is coming to that place. (Note that this is a good omen when you are not dreaming.)
Duck Spirit
The spirit of Duck is adaptable and friendly. He likes to laugh out loud. He does not hold grudges. He does not take the time to sulk about his situation, he just carries on. Duck knows that the seasons change and that, to survive, he must sometimes change with them. He does not resent this, but embraces it as a chance to learn and experience new things as duck is also curious. Changes, roadblocks, even insults are all "water off a duck's back".
Duck knows that family and a healthy social life are important. She is especially devoted to her children and is an intuitive mother. She also knows that people change and that people do things for their own reasons and doesn't take things personally. He feels his emotions deeply but he does not let them overwhelm him. Like the water he swims through, he rides them, dives deep into them when appropriate and walks away when the current is too strong. Duck's emotions and devotion is constant, but he doesn't wallow in them, except for fun. Duck is, however, devastated by loss. His devotion is steady even when the object of his devotion has gone and this can destroy him if he isn't careful.
Duck knows the value of the "happy place". This place is full of people he loves and is comfortable and warm (home). Although he loves to travel, duck will always return home to recharge. He knows there is no shame in this.
Duck is an excellent spirit helper for journey as he moves freely between all realms.
See Also
You can Print this page for your Book of Shadows
Do you have a question or something to add? Please join in the discussion of this creature by commenting below.
And if a wild duck should last her eggs at the base if your mailbox near the for is your driveway? No, they aren't dark in color and she's laid 5 just in the past 12 hours!
She will lay 9-12 eggs over the course of a few days and then begin incubating. If this is bad for you, I suggest you contact your local department of natural resources to see if you can get the next safely removed. It is illegal in many places to mess with the next yourself.
So my dream is I'm in this stream, I'm just floating and in a happy place, on the side of the stream is a stall that kills flick for fresh meat. The duck is swimming freely. I order 1 duck and think to myself, this is gonna be delicious as its so fresh. The duck is killed, I see its blood get washed away. I walk away! I come to a gate, the waves are floating into me and I'm enjoying this as it feels like it's washing away my pain and then a big wave comes and I'm getting ready for this by holding onto the gate so as not to get washed away but instead the waves doesn't dissolve, it's like it built a big walk In front of me and just stays there!! I don't understand, please help!!
Without knowing your personal situation, it is difficult to accurately interpret a dream. However, this sounds like we're talking about a deep, emotional situation, possibly involving the a domestic situation or committed relationship that a third party is causing issues in, but that you are allowing and also that, while you appear to be willing, something (likely this third party) is hindering your ability to take the necessary steps to handle or move forward with this situation.
Had a dream the other night that I was digging up earth worms to feed to a duckling. The duckling was kind of in a little trench covered in mud. Any ideas what it could mean?
Haha. It sounds like you're seeing my daily activities. My ducks, and their babies, swarm around me while I'm weeding, waiting for me to pull up some worms, grubs, etc. for them. If it were ME dreaming this, it would just be my brain reviewing my day. What a dream means depends largely on your life, your lifestyle and how you interact in meatspace with the animals you're dreaming about. It also relates to what's going on in general. For example, if you are starting a family, recently married or considering getting married or just bought a new house (or thinking about it), I would say that this dream represents the personal effort you are putting in, or need to put in to create your ideal domestic situation. That the situation right now isn't perfect, (a little muddy, if you will) but it has good potential, especially if you're willing to work on it. However, since I don't know what your situation is, I can't really determine. This is why it is recommended that personal questions be addressed via personal consultations. There's a link in the sidebar and in the FAQ section to request a phone consultation.
I had a dream that I found a nest, the eggs hatched into 4 light yellow ducklings. I accidentally stepped on one and thought it was dead. I cried and cried. It was ok though, to my surprise it came back to life. Then I put them in a little pond with clear blue water. Thats all that I remember. It was quite vivid. What does it mean?
I had a female duck leave the water, and come hang out with me by the side of a lake for over an hour today. She just kind of stood there, watching me. I went back to my cabin, got some Cheerios and brought them back. She was just waiting there. I fed her Cheerios, she hung out for a while longer, then went back into the lake and swam off. What could this mean? Not a dream…
Hey I just had a really weird dream and I'm due to catch a flight in 2 hours!! I was in a park with a big lake (one that exists in my town) with my mum and aunty, it was dark we were walking the mood was great everything felt positive. All of a sudden ducks started emerging (I'm guessing from the water, I didn't see) and they were approaching me trying to surround me. It still felt positive I wasn't that scared I was laughing and so were my mum and aunt. Then one fly up just above head height then tried to attack my face and straight away I got scared, the mood changed from positive to negative and I woke up! Please reply ASAP if u can, I'm worried it has something to do with my long journey today as I'm travelling with my mum.
Thanks.
I dreamt of ducks laying on my bed as if they were flying then they would get up to go fly and then come back and rest on my bed. They also pooped on my bed, runny white poop with gold flecks. I tried to get them to leave my house after that but they wouldn't. Also my mother was in the dream and she passed away 2 years ago. Please help…
I dreamt i was sitting in a hammock type thing and 2 white and gold feathered ducks with gold beaks, 1 walking a tiny bit behind the other and walking towards me on the hammock i was sitting on. The never made a sound or anything. They just appeared and then disappeared. I also dreamt of 2 other gold and white chickens i think and also a kakapo that was white and gold sitting in a tree…all were silent i had water surroundings, next minute im watching heaps of people on the back of the same boat on a biscuit and there were dolphins….everything was silent….
Hi, This morning i heard a noise in my fireplace! What was it? I heard breathing! I looked to my amazement there was a grey duck sitting there. She had her head down. Im very far from the river and how in the world did she ever spot the top of my fireplace i will never know. I thought she broke her neck! I poured water on her to get her to calm down. So i could put her in the box and carry her down to the river. When i got to the river i lifted the lid of the box and i was so amazed at the speed and how fast she flew away. She was faster then any bird i had ever seen and so strong. She was the most bravest creature i have ever met in my life time to come visit me in my castle. When i cant even get my friends to visit me she was not scared at all that was the most best visitor i have ever had yet! Brave Strong and full of courage She taught me that i still have my wings to fly and i am not trapped in my castle walls but i can get out and live breath and dance!
We have many ducks in our backyard all the time. But yesterday in the middle of all the males and females was a Snow White one. I can't find anything to tell me what that means!!