For those of you that have wondered what ducks do when they dive underwater, you no longer have to wonder.  We have some pretty awesome footage that we got from a Facebook post that somebody made with an underwater camera.

First, here are a few facts on diving ducks via Ducks.org:

Among North American waterfowl, three distinct tribes of ducks are collectively known as diving ducks:

• Stifftails (ruddy ducks)
• Sea ducks (eiders, scoters, mergansers, goldeneyes, buffleheads, long-tailed ducks, and harlequin ducks)
• Pochards (canvasbacks, redheads, scaup, and ring-necked ducks)

While there are significant differences among these birds, they all share unique behavioral, morphological, and physiological adaptations for diving and feeding underwater.

1. he body of a diving duck is much more compact and fusiform (wider in the middle and tapering toward the end) than that of a dabbler.

2. Divers’ wings are also more compact, which allows them to be compressed tightly against the body for greater diving efficiency.

3. Divers’ legs are set much farther back on their body, and their feet are much larger and have a lobed hind toe.  These adaptations help propel the birds while they are underwater.

So, now you can watch this video with a little more knowledge on diving ducks–if you didn’t already know the above info. Enjoy the cool footage!

(Feature photo by Stiver Photos via ontfin.com)