Fear of being watched by a duck (anatidaephobia)

Anatidaephobia is the comic idea that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you. In the cartoon version it does not matter where you are or what you are doing, the duck is always there. Real life has no such duck, though plenty of people do feel uneasy at being watched.

About this phobia

The name comes from Anatidae, the scientific family that includes ducks, geese and swans. It was made famous by Gary Larson’s The Far Side cartoon, so it’s a joke rather than a recognised fear. The genuine fear of being stared at, sometimes called scopophobia, often links to social anxiety.

What it feels like

• A grin when someone brings up the Far Side cartoon
• Side glances at ducks on the pond, just in case
• For some, a wider and very real unease at feeling watched by anyone

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Is anatidaephobia a real phobia?

No, it is a joke from a cartoon, and there is no clinical record of anyone fearing being watched by a duck. Some people do have a real fear of birds, or of being observed, and both are genuine fears that can be worked on.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

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