Duck Symbolism
Often when I write these articles on spirit animals I like to take a systematic approach, but with duck symbolism there are forces at work that are drawing me a different direction. For the last week or so, I’ve contemplated duck spirit animal and what the meaning of these sweet, sweet souls is. As always, it is technically challenging to write about a group of animals that has over 100 different species with widely varied characteristics. However, I never expected this inquiry to take the route it did.
Why Did the Ducks Cross the Road?
Today, I was driving down the highway with gorgeous mountain views reflected off the lake to my left. Traffic was heavy with tourists zooming to get somewhere and relax. I was half listening to a class on my stereo and my mind was wandering off probably thinking of what other errands I had to run. There was a long gap before the vehicle ahead of me. I was looking at a clear lane.
What seemed abruptly, I spotted at a busy scene on the other side of the road. A mother duck leading her long line of seven ducklings across the highway. They spanned wider than half the road. I had plenty of time to come to a rolling stop. There was no time to feel a sense of relief. None of the cuteness of the gangly half-grown brood was mine to savor. Instead I watched in horror as an oncoming white sedan bared down on the family.
The mother kept diligently leading. The ducklings, one by one, followed the instinct to stay in line. The space between each was perfectly equidistant. They were probably too young to fly. Ducks can’t get off the ground that fast anyway. I wanted to honk my horn, but it was already too late. By now the family was covering the entire lane. Four ducklings were in the direct path of the car. I honestly lifted my hand up to cover my eyes. I ducked. I don’t know when the last time is I’ve done that. I couldn’t watch.
The car whizzed by as if the ducks had never been. One duckling was floundering. The traffic in the other lane stopped. We watched the mother, six healthy ducklings, and one half-paralyzed duckling finish crossing the road. That little guy’s instinct to follow his mom overcame everything. He drug himself off the shoulder. He was the last to disappear into the grass. I kept my vehicle at a standstill long past, insisting on making the drivers behind me notice this one life. I pulled over. I sat in my car on the side of the road as everyone else got moving again. It was is as if we’d been sitting at a red light. It was the end of his life. Everyone else went on about theirs. I prayed for his safe passage to the spirit world. His tragedy broke my heart open in an instant to the global attacks we are experiencing. I so wished he could have gotten out of harm’s way. One duckling did that.
Sitting Ducks
How much lately have we thought about being a sitting duck? I barely have to mention the terrorist attacks in recent history (Paris, San Bernardino, Orlando) to conjure images of being trapped in a room with a crazed gunman. The phrase “sitting duck” originated in the context of World War II to indicate a poorly defended or unsuspecting military target that was easy to take down. Dabbling ducks, such as mallards, sit on the top of the water and dabble with their beaks below the surface. They are easy targets for hunters.
Why would I bring up such macabre conversation? This language is in all of our psyches. Regardless of if we want it to or not, we associate vulnerability and danger with duck symbolism. Even before the term sitting duck came into use, the word “duck” has always had the alternative meaning of avoiding a blow, hiding from sight, and departing quickly. Think “duck and cover” and “duck out”. I ducked my eyes from watching the car hit the duckling.
What are you ducking in your life right now? Are you bracing for some unforeseen tragedy you have yet to discover? The instinct to duck is a strong, survival impulse that has saved countless lives. There is a time to duck down and evade the either literal or symbolic blow. If you know your pocketbook is about to get hit, bracing yourself and preparing mentally for the blow may be what gets you through it.
The trouble is when we duck from our illusory fears, you know, the kind that haunt you. Fears like “What will other people think?”, “Will I end up homeless?”, and “Will he leave me?” – those kind of fears. Soon we are paralyzed with fear and cannot move. That is when we become true sitting ducks.
Duck Spirit Animal Helps Us Evade
Duck spirit animal reminds us that we have webbed feet and, even better, we have wings. We have the power to lift out of the watery emotions that threaten to drown us. We can swim into the depths and find inner silence.
We may be rendered physically powerless to do anything in a situation and feel like the victim. Nevertheless, we always have power in our interior. We can always lift off in our view. Duck symbolism teaches that we can always dive down into the truth of the beauty that we are. Some diving ducks swim rushing torrents of class five river rapids with ease.
Meaning of Duck Molting
With all of this talk about flying out of danger, I am obligated to mention that in the late summer / early fall all ducks are rendered flightless. They drop and replace their entire coat of feathers (called “molting”) in a matter of weeks, which means they are grounded. During this time, ducks hunker down in the reeds in the marshes or they band together in the middle of a large, deep lake.
Preparing for times in your life to be grounded and tend to matters at home will help you take advantage of this aspect of the meaning of duck. It is no use ignoring the fact that the to-do list needs doing and the laundry needs to be washed. By choosing the correct environment to do these tasks, you take less risk of things going awry.
Insulation and Safety
Duck symbolizes spring and summer in the guidebooks, but there is little scientific evidence to back this correlation. Ducks do extremely well in bitterly cold climates. I would associate them with winter for their incredible hardiness. In my mountain town, they swim in the little bit of open water in frozen lakes. Sea ducks brave frigid winter conditions amidst arctic ice flows.
Ever wonder how ducks can paddle around in icy water without their feet freezing? Ducks have a counter-current circulation system in their feet that allows their feet to stay just above freezing with very minimal heat loss. You can learn the mechanics of this ingenious system here: http://askanaturalist.com/why-don’t-ducks’-feet-freeze/ When asking “What does duck mean?” it is important to remember that conservation of your own resources can help you survive lean times.
Ducks also have incredibly warm coats of waterproof feathers filled with an insulating layer of down. If you’ve benefited from the warmth of a down jacket, you know what I’m talking about. These birds are no ninnies. Duck symbolism brings the power of insulation from the outside world helping us brave the hazardous weather in our own lives.
About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch
Stacey L. L. Couch is a Spiritual Director who teaches about archetypes and symbolism. Her speciality is working with soul pioneers - those of you who are making it up as you go along the spiritual path. She works with beginner and life-long spiritual seekers. Through working with Stacey, lost seekers find their way home and professional spiritual guides receive mentorship. Stacey empowers people with the ability to explore their purpose and calling. Wisdom found in story, mysticism, and nature provide guidance and healing in her work. She is the author of Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks. She values mindfulness, wonder, and compassion in her daily spiritual practice. Learn More about Stacey.
18 comments
I have received much insight from your writings. Your explanation of duck symbolism is profound.
I don’t often see ducks on our farm. We had a nesting pair live for a season on our tiny pond 7 years ago. Then 4 years ago we had a duck build a nest in my flower bed along the foundation of my farmhouse. Needless to say, I had a very weedy bed until after her brood of 6 hatched and headed to the creek. What a great experience for my children to have. 3 weeks ago, we were harvesting alfalfa. I was raking a field and saw a Drake running around very distressed. She stayed near a window until my tractor got within 6 feet of her and then flew a short distance. I stopped and walked the row until I found her nest. There were 5 ducklings recently hatched and the remains and a dead duckling that had been the victims of the mower. I felt so much despair for the frantic mother duck and her babies. I scooped up some alfalfa and the duck nest and moved them to the field edge praying she would find them and continued mowing. Early the next morning, I went to check before the chopper arrived to fill the solo and the ducklings were gone. I have carried sadness and guilt for the lost ducklings. After reading your post and reflecting on the ducks that have showed up in my life, I realize that all these experiences have happened during extremely difficult financial years on our Dairy farm. The 3 worst milk price years we have had, we have had close encounters with ducks nesting on our farm. Perhaps I should reflect on the hardiness of the ducks to weather extreme circumstance. Thank you for your wise reflections!
Hello April, My heart breaks for you. I too have had the experience of accidentally causing harm to an animal. For me, it is one of the worst feelings. That is so interesting to hear you make the connection between that experience and your financial hardship. Some of the symbolic links I make in these articles are intuitive and/or personal, so it is nice to have an additional account to add. Then there are the sweet stories of your family helping raise, by providing sanctuary, the family of ducks in your yard. There is so much tenderness here with this bird. I am glad to share this kinship with you. Many Blessings, Stacey
Thank you Stacey,
Such tender little lives . It can seem incomprehensible that such would not be nurtured and
honoured. But we cannot ignore this epidemic of anger and brutality when it raises it’s ugly head.
Yet even within this perceived abberation seem to lie the forces of nature.
I have been dreaming increasingly in animal symbolism.
I dreamt about being out on a misty grey street at night and heard two vicious dogs start
growling fiercely nearby as if to attack. And then mraculously I just levitaed upwards on the street
and floated aloft to avoid them.
It represented some people in my environment whose vibration and lack of loyalty (dog)
I needed to rise above.
Similar instances have taken the form of a plague of rats and some black worms which had flies
gathered round them.
All these creatures are a part of nature, but not ones we would welcome or allow into our Sacred space.
I thank my dreams and my guides for such warnings when I am needing my own wild animal
wariness.
Hello Elizabeth, It sounds like you are confronting the darkness of the world in your dreams and, thus, working out how to relate to such forces. You are exactly right that we can’t ignore these ugly aspects of the world, of other people and in ourselves. It is important that we illuminate them and learn to persevere in the face of brutality however it appears to us. That is why I decided to write this article the way I did. I wanted to share about the sweetness and comfort of these awesome birds, but the cosmos reminded me to include the shadow too. In the same way, I watch my thoughts and try to keep from violence in my thinking as much as I can manage. In that way I know I am battling the darkness in the most powerful way I can. Many Blessings to You on the Path, Stacey
Over a month into the pandemic, I dreamed of several ducks in Chinatown, waddling, and in a separate pen, a few baby chicks, white. What is your interpretation?
Beautiful Stacey????, I too would have been stopped with my hands covering my eyes to avoid the possible accident. As an empath this earthly existence is just so disconcerting at times. I notice beings often in public in such an unconscience state. And try my best to make myself super conscience out of reverence for all that is. Are we in the process of losing reverence for one another , as well as the beauty of nature and this beautiful planet we inhabit? I find myself more and more insulating myself here in our quaint lovely town of Pt Pleasant PA. Here in my small two acre space I can create beauty, feed and appreciate the creatures that vist and enjoy watching them do what they do. I can respect and care for this small space by being conscientious in what I do with and to it. I’m deeply grateful and in awe of all it shares.
If loving is so simple, so easy, why do we struggle to do so at times. When it only takes a moment for an act of kindness to show our reverence for one another, why do we turn our heads, ignore the opportunity? I am so grateful when I am privy to receiving , observing or giving in an act of kindness. I’ll hold that moment in faith , however small at times…that we have not totally lost ourselves????❤️????
Hello Cheryl, First of all, thank you for acting as a steward of your land and for providing refuge to the wild ones. I can say that I know that all over the world there are people like you doing this quiet work in small ways. We are making a difference. The law of the Tao says that from all things balance must flow. When you see thoughtless or unconscious acts, know that somewhere at the same moment a conscious, thoughtful, caring act is also taking place. Then there is the knowing that the force of life is always working to assert itself and emerge even in the most dire of circumstances. There are so many ways to find hope. In reading your comment, I can tell you know a good deal of them. Thank you for your kindness and wisdom. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hello Stacey,
I want to share a wonderful story with a happy ending. I was driving home along a busy two lane road at rush hour and was slowing down in the right hand turn lane when I spotted a mother duck and her seven babies attempting to cross the road. I remembered your story… it Just broke my heart, and knew I had to help them. As soon as I could get out of my car I did. Mother Duck seemed to feel threatened and became more determined to cross the road when a passing car made her go back. There was a bit of a break in the traffic and I went into the middle of the road and started waving like a crazy woman, and the traffic stopped. I went back to Momma Duck who was already crossing the street with her brood accompanied them until they got to the other side, all arriving safely. As I went back to my car a woman who had been making a left hand turn at the intersection had seen what was going and stopped, blocking oncoming traffic, protecting me and the little duck family. As I crossed the road to get back in my car and traffic resumed, people who had witnessed the event gave me a thumbs up & waved. I know they all felt as happy as I did when they saw the little family was safe. I have to say I felt such relief and pride, humbled to have been chosen to be in service at the right time and place.
In gratitude for Wild Gratitude, ????????
Kathleen Urquhart
Wow Kathleen! What a wonderful story!!!! Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m so grateful that you were there in the right place at the right time to be an angel for the mother duck and her brood of ducklings. My heart is overflowing and I am brought to tears. There was nothing I could do for the ducks in my story as I was too far away, but to know that this story would ripple outwards and inspire you to courageously stand in front of traffic is incredibly humbling. This is another gorgeous example of how we are all connected and how our actions influence one another. Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking my story to heart and, even more so, for being a guardian of the wild ones. Many Blessings, Stacey
I have dream of this white duck that carries me on his back and we fly together, sometimes he struggles because he is a normal size duck , he is loving and soft clean beautiful, I love to have this dreams I wake up feeling loved .
Thank you for sharing your beautiful dreams Sandra. White symbolizes purity, connection with spiritual forces, and newness. The fact that you are flying on the back of the duck in your dream, shows the opportunity to lift up out of the mundane and transcend daily life. What a beautiful opportunity! Many blessings to you, Stacey
I think what You’ve shared is more depressing than anything else. The fact that You have put the words “feel like a victim” in bold letters, is ultra creepy. We extend Our unconditional Compassion to You and all living creatures.
Hello Loree, Thank you for your unconditional compassion and for reading this article. I always welcome different points of view. The cycle of life, death and rebirth can be depressing. Life is hard sometimes and I’m not always called to write happy endings. The reason why “feel like a victim” is in bold is because it is a simple way to highlight the link to my article about the victim archetype. That article shares about the gifts and light aspect of how the victim helps us build self-esteem, set boundaries, and be kind to others. I’m sorry you found the bold writing creepy. Please forgive the misunderstanding. Sending you many blessings, Stacey
Such a well-integrated presentation of the Duck animal spirit. Very heart touching, inspiring and revealing for me and I am so grateful to you for helping me with your words. Goddess blessings to you Stacey. OM Shanti! 🦆
You are more than welcome Surya. I am glad you have found some guidance and blessings to you too! Sincerely, Stacey
A short little heartwarming story for you guys. I was taking my usual walk around the neighborhood but then i got this urge to go and see animals at an animal store. Because of the pandemic, there were was very few. Low and behold i walked to the back of the store, there were over 4 dozen baby chicks and duckies running around in a bed prepared for them.
They were so beautiful and endearing. I videotaped them and it brought me to happy tears. I was guided following the trip to share with others. They appreciated it. A few days later went back to the store, there was only half of them left. I believe people needed these animals as so did I.