Kudan zuma kwari ne kuma suna da ƙafafu shida, fukafukai huɗu, da carapace. Makamin ya ƙunshi chitin. Ita ce, don yin magana, kwarangwal na ƙudan zuma. Kudan zuma na mata suna da tsinke a cikin su.
A yawancin nau'in kudan zuma, kowace dabba tana rayuwa da kanta. Ana kiran su kudan zuma kaɗai. Yaransu ne kawai suke kula da su. Ƙungiyar ƙudan zuma na yin ƙwai a cikin gida na waje, kamar tsuntsun kuckoo, kuma suna barin renon yara ga iyayen kasashen waje.
Wasu nau'in kudan zuma suna rayuwa tare a cikin wani yanki, wanda kuma ake kira colony. Don haka ana kiran su nau'in halittar jihar. Wannan ya haɗa da kudan zuma na zuma. Ana shuka shi a ƙasashe da yawa don haka ya yadu. Ana kiran masu kiwon kudan zuma “masu kiwon zuma” a cikin jargon fasaha.