Magpie duck facts for kids

Head of a drake
Conservation status	FAO (2007): critical
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Quick facts for kids Classification
APA	light duck
EE	yes
PCGB	light
Duck Anas platyrhynchos

A typical Magpie duck.

The Magpie is a British breed of domestic duck. It has distinctive black and white markings reminiscent of the European magpie, and is a layer of large eggs.

History

The Magpie was bred after the end of the First World War by M.C. Gower-Williams in Wales and Oliver Drake in Yorkshire. The ancestry of the breed is not known; it may have included the Indian Runner, possibly with some influence of the Huttegem of Belgium. The Magpie was first documented in 1920; a breeders' club was formed in 1926. At that time, two colour varieties were recognised, black-and-white and blue-and-white. The black-and-white variant remained the only colour recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain until 1997, when blue-and-white and dun-and-white became recognised.

The Altrheiner Elsterenten, a duck with the same plumage pattern as the Magpie, was bred in Germany in the 1970s by Paul-Erwin Oswald. The Entente Européenne treats it as the same breed.

The Magpie was exported to the United States in 1963, but was not widely kept. It was admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1977.

Characteristics

Named for its distinctive black and white plumage, reminiscent of the colouration of the European magpie, the typical example of the breed is predominantly white with two large black areas on the back and top of the head. As the bird ages the black cap will normally begin to be flecked with white and may eventually become completely white. Blue, silver, and chocolate, which is very rare, are also colour varieties that Magpies can come in. However, blue is the only other variety besides black that is recognised by the American Poultry Association. Similar in shape to the Khaki Campbell, but more substantial, the Magpie is moderately streamlined with a somewhat upright carriage that suggests Indian Runner duck in its ancestral bloodline. The bill is yellow or orange, but turns green in older birds. The legs and feet are orange but may be mottled. The chest is rounded and the neck moderately long. Males have, when fully feathered, curled feathers on the tail. Females have, when fully feathered, straight feathers on the tail. Males weigh around 2.7 kg (6.0 lb) on average, and females around 2.5 kg (5+1⁄2 lb), although the American standard specifies 1 pound (0.45 kg) lower for each. They lay between 220–290 large white eggs annually. They are a hardy variety, active foragers, and live for approximately 9 to 12 years.

Images for kids

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  Head of a drake, showing undesirable black spotting