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Domestic Ducks - The Light Breeds

The earliest 'light ducks' in domestic waterfowl are the Hook Bill and the Crested. Crested ducks appear in Dutch paintings as early as 1660, and the Hook Bill is referred to in Willughby's Ornithologie in 1678. Yet it is possible that the Hook Bill has an eastern origin, like the Runner, and that the Crested duck is connected with the Bali in the East Indies too.

Most later breeds of light ducks were created partly from the Runner early in the twentieth century. Mrs Campbell of Uley produced the Khaki Campbell duck around the same time as Cook of Orpington was working on the Buff Orpington. White Campbells and Dark Campbells followed, as did Abacot Rangers and Welsh Harlequins - all depending on a Runner ancestor. Only the Magpie has a dubious Indian Runner connection. The origin of the breed was never fully documented but it is believed to have a touch of Runner in it too.

  Light duck are active ducks; they partly take their temperament and type from the Runner. They are foragers and eggs layers, the Khaki Campbell being the best egg layer of all time. Magpies and Orpingtons are at the heavier end of the scale at up to 7 - 7 1/2lbs and can be regarded as 'dual purpose' birds.

An example of the Light Ducks: The Abacot Ranger

The Abacot Ranger was originally produced in the UK, was even described in Feathered World's 'Ducks' (1926) - and then disappeared from the UK record. Fortunately for this attractive breed, the Germans developed the 'silver wild-colour' to perfection and maintained the Abacot Ranger or Streicher as a popular breed on the continent until its import and re-discovery in the UK in the 1970s and 80s.

The ducks are particularly attractive. They have a 'hood' of fawn-buff feathers (hence the name 'hooded' ranger') and a creamy white body beautifully streaked and marked with colour. Like their relatives - the Campbells and Harlequins - they are very good layers.