28. ~ Duck ~

Ducks are recognized for their waddling gait on land. Their necks are shorter than geese. The legs of a duck are further back on their body than that of swans or geese. These are ducks such as the mallard that are so easy to recognize. The male has an emerald green head, black tail-end, yellow-bill with a smoked black tip. The chest of the male is brown with white feathers singed in purple. The females are a light brown neutral colour. Ducks live in ponds and rivers. They have big webbed feet which never get cold. Their feathers are waterproof. They live about ten to twelve years. Male ducks are called drakes, and babies are called ducklings. The mallards are said to be the most populated duck in the world. They can grow to be twenty-seven inches in length. Some people call them puddle ducks. Ducks swim together. They fly in v-shaped flocks. Male mallards are also known for the thin white band that nature has encircled at the base of their head. Their short tails also have an upward curl. The males don't hang around with a momma mallard and her ducklings. The eggs of the mallard are white to dull green, and they are laid twelve to fifteen at one time. Mallards spend their days mostly just sleeping!

Medicine:

Duck medicine teaches us that there is comfort in the familiar. They teach us not to get cold feet when duck medicine waddles onto our life path. They remind us to wear our own halo on a daily basis. Indian tribes believe that the duck brings good fortune and increase. Ducks remind us to stay close to our family members and to be supportive of them. Duck medicine teaches us to see clearly into deep emotional matters. Lastly, duck medicine reminds us to steer a course of growth and fertility for others to easily follow.