Ducks are divided into two groups: Dabbling Ducks and Diving Ducks. Dabbling ducks are shallow water ducks that feed primarily along the surface of the water or by tipping headfirst into the water, with their tails in the air, to graze on aquatic plants, vegetation, larvae, and insects. When taking flight, they can spring directly from the water into the air, rather than gaining speed by running along the water’s surface first.
Diving ducks are good swimmers, they dive beneath the surface of the water to search for food, which includes fish, insects, and aquatic plants. These ducks prefer to stay in the water and can be ungainly on land. When taking flight, they have to build up speed to take off from the water’s surface.