Duck decoy (structure)

This article is about the device for catching wildfowl. For the carved wildfowl models, see Duck decoy (model).
A plan of a five-pipe duck decoy[1]

A duck decoy is a device to capture wild ducks or other species of waterfowl. Decoys had an advantage over hunting ducks with shotguns as the duck meat did not contain lead shot. Consequently, a higher price could be charged for it.

Decoys are still used for hunting ducks, but they are now also used for ornithological research, in which the birds are released after capture.

  1. ^ Payne-Gallwey 1886, p. 59