Misconception

I thought they stayed together for life but they don't. I found this out on the internet. At least they stay together for a season which is more than a lot of humans do.

Ducks do not form long-term pair bonds, but instead form seasonal bonds, otherwise known as seasonal monogamy, in which new bonds are formed each season. Seasonal monogamy occurs in about 49 percent of all waterfowl species. In this mating system, pairs generally form on the wintering grounds in the first year of life, and those bonds are maintained only through egg laying. Each winter, the birds must find a new mate and establish a new bond for that breeding season. Males that form seasonal bonds do not participate in raising the young, but will defend the space around mated females to prevent other males from gaining access to their mate. If the male of the pair dies during spring migration north, females will quickly find a new mate for that season, and nesting will not be delayed in that year. Seasonal monogamy is common among dabbling ducks, diving ducks and some sea ducks.