Australian Spotted Ducks

A nice pair of Australian Spots
Photo courtesy of Ian Gereg

In spite of their name, these birds are an American creation, developed in the 1920s and first exhibited in 1928. Mallards, Pintails and Calls are said to have been the foundation stock, with possibly a trace of a (now unknown) spotted species of Australian wild duck.

Their size should be intermediate between the longer-billed Mallards and the plump, short-billed Calls. Typical weights for drakes are between 32 and 38 ounces; for ducks between 28 and 34 ounces. Three color varieties are kept: Greenhead, Bluehead and Silverhead.

Australian Spotteds are decent layers and excellent mothers. The ducklings mature very rapidly. Like Calls, Spots are capable of flight so you should consider keeping one wing clipped if you have a small property.