The duck is a symbol representing happiness, laughter, nurturing, and good luck in many cultures. It also means bonding, romantic love, travel, emotional balance, and spiritual uplifting. They are also symbols of kinship, purification, intuition, and transformation. Ducks are found widely over all continents and are associated with much folklore.
Duck Symbolism History and Meaning
When the duck symbolism entered, folklore and mythology is unknown. Both eastern and western cultures revere the duck and relate it with their daily life.
The duck is a common symbol of water and fertility. It’s said to represent new beginnings. Ducks also have a strong connection with domesticity, family, and happiness.
The duck is often seen as being an animal that brings prosperity and wealth because it excels at collecting food. This goes hand-in-hand with its role as a signifier of love and romance.
Ducks in Chinese Mythology
Ducks hold much importance in Chinese culture. The duck symbolizes material happiness and good luck here. Though it is eaten, it still has a permanent place in mythology.
The duck is a symbol of peace and tranquility due to its calm appearance when swimming in the water. The female duck also represents fertility and abundance because she lays eggs. The duck is also a symbol of prosperous marital life in China.
Ducks in Greek Mythology
Ducks symbolize nurturing and faithfulness in Greek Mythology. This belief comes from the famous epic, The Odyssey. Icarus, Penelope’s father, was so enraged that she was not a son that he threw her into the sea to drown her. A flock of ducks, however, rescued the infant girl.
Icarus, stunned by the rescue, saw it as a sign from the gods, and he finally accepted his young daughter. Penelope was named after the Greek word for duck. Later, Odysseus, the epic’s protagonist, married Penelope, the daughter of Icarus and the nymph Periboea.
When Odysseus went to fight the Trojan War and was gone for two decades, Penelope remained faithful to him, protecting his kingdom from unscrupulous opportunists. Penelope thus embodied the mother duck’s protective qualities.
Native American Duck Symbolism
Though the duck is related to prosperity and goodness, in Native America, it is considered a character who can be outsmarted easily. Animals like foxes, coyotes, or crows are able to trick ducks.
They are susceptible animals. There is also a legend behind ducks falling prey to other animals. The red eye and death dance symbolism also evolves from a Native American Menominee legend about ducks.
The protagonist of the legend, Manabush, asked the ducks to dance by closing their eyes. So, a flock of ducks closed their eyes and danced to Manabush’s song. Enjoying the song with their eyes shut, the ducks forgot everything.
Manabush, the trickster, took the ducks one by one and slit their necks. However, a duck had opened its eyes and warned the remaining to flee. When Manabush saw this, he cursed the duck, saying it would have red eyes for a lifetime.
In Native American culture ducks symbolize boastfulness and arrogance.
The Duck as a Totem Animal
As a totem animal, the duck animal spirit helps you know yourself better. Ducks are water animals representing water elements and the unconscious mind. They have a lot of stability and calmness surrounding them that can help you.
The moon is associated with ducks and feminine energy in general. This could mean that ducks are very intuitive animals, so the duck totem can help you learn more about yourself!
Ducks also symbolize yin energy, which is passive yet assertive at the same time. This means, as power animals, they’re great for helping people who need to relax and let go of stress or tension after a long day’s work or even just sitting still.
Is Seeing a Duck a Good Omen?
Yes, glimpsing a duck is surely a good omen. The duck is a symbol of fertility, prosperity, and good luck. In addition, ducks are associated with wisdom, patience, and humility. Ducks can also be considered an animal that teaches something new or different about yourself.
What Do Ducks Symbolize in Dreams?
When a duck is a part of a dream, it can have a number of different meanings, though they are most commonly related with ideas such a fertility and child bearing.
Fertility
Ducks are associated with the moon, which is also associated with women’s cycles and fertility. It’s believed that if you dream about ducks being chased by a dog or another animal (like wolves), then it means that you are about to conceive.
Motherhood
Ducks can represent all types of maternal instincts in your dreams. They’ll care for their young even when they return to their nest. Thus, seeing a duck protecting ducklings in a dream might indicate you are a good mother.
What Do Ducks Represent in Love?
Ducks can be a symbol of new partnerships. So, they can be indicative of a fresh start. However, a duck may also represent an old relationship or a deceased family member. It might be the love or affection you feel or a person who is dead or with whom you are not in touch anymore.
Consider getting a duck tattoo if you’re thinking about getting a new one! This will help remind you of all the good things about being in this relationship and how far it has come since its beginning stages.
Ducks symbolize a peaceful nature and love. They sign that you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings. If you see a duck, it means that you need to slow down, introspect, and take some time for yourself. It’s always possible to reflect!
For more symbols and their meanings, check out this articles on the meaning of the thunderbird.