Call ducks

Call Ducks are bantams, with a top weight of 26 ounces for an old drake and 20 ounces for an old duck. They are small, but delightful. Their advocates adore them'

The breed was developed as a decoy, to attract wild ducks within shooting range. They retain their call, quacking happily. Those who make companions of them often 'converse' with them, interacting vocally.

Breeders raise them in six color varieties that are recognized by the APA: Blue, Buff, Gray (which is the mallard color pattern, not strictly gray feathers), Pastel, Snowy and White. Pastel is a mallard pattern softened with blue, making the under-tail coverts soft powder blue and the body pale silver gray. Snowy is a variable color pattern with fawn and brown on the head. The feathers on the body are brown in the center and frosted with white on the edges.

They do like to quack, so consider whether your family and neighbors will enjoy hearing them as much as you do.

This group of Call ducks belongs to Kristine Tanzillo in Texas. Black and white Sundae is a Magpie color variety; behind Sundae is Butterscotch Stormy; the brownish/white duck up front is Huntress. Kristine sees her as a color pattern called 'yellow belly.' In this photo, she looks to me like she might be Snowy. The white duck with the tan head is Ellie, which Kristine calls apricot silver. The duck with the brown chest behind Huntress and Ellie is Duke, the only drake, in the familiar Gray color pattern.