how to tell a duck has lice

We adopted a duck several months ago that has lice.  Wing lice.  It looked like very small pencil lines that were moving.  The duck is white, so they were very easily seen.  I have no idea how I would have found them on a dark colored duck. 

Soory...HAD lice!  A couple dustings with Sevin dust, and all was well. 

Agreed.

Ducks- when given the opportunity to bathe dont get lice with anywhere near the frequency that chickens do-  but they can be found in the same areas-  especially under the wings and around their bottom.  Know what you are looking for first will help them be found on a dark duck as well.   Google a picture first to remind yourself...  they really are so tiny and can sometimes be easily missed.  I worm and spray my ducks for lice twice a year just as a precaution. 

lice are species specific so humans dont catch duck or chicken or dog lice. Dogs cant catch chicken or human, ect.

I have on occasion bought ducks that have come with lice, and many people don't seem to know what to look for, being shocked when I tell them their birds have lice. On Calls, I hit them right away with a spritz of Adams Flea & Tick spray under each "armpit", then follow up about a week later (after they have had plenty of time to bathe in quarantine) by giving them 3-4 drops of Ivomec by mouth. Remember, these are birds for pet/exhibition purposes only, so what you would do if you wanted to eat the eggs or meat, I couldn't recommend. 

Some exhibitors make a habit of spraying their birds at shows, and this should not cause the casual observer alarm: they are often spraying to prevent from bringing any "unwanted guests" home on their birds and not because they have a lice problem...usually!

So if the ducks have enough water to bathe in, they won't get lice? They keep them washed off?