Blekinge Duck

Facts about Blekinge Ducks. It is a pure descendent from the old landrace duck. Before it was found in the Blekinge archipelago, this breed of ducks had been written off and assumed as being extinct. Despite reports and scientific investigations that link the Blekinge Duck to the grass duck from which it is said to have originated, the Blekinge duck is larger in size and does not have the ability to fly like the rest.

The Blekinge Duck is a native breed of duck that prefer the northern climate. Traditionally, the Blekinge Duck breed was housed during the winter season and in the warm and sunny summer climate, it was released into the Blekinge archipelago in Sweden. In this Blekinge archipelago, they fend for themselves through fishing and other activities.

The feathers of the wild Blekinge ducks are pale in color. From time to time, you can spot a solid white birds of this species. In terms of weight, the females are slightly lighter weighing on average between 4 1/4 to 6 1/2 pounds (2 to 3 kg). The males on the other hand weigh from 5 1/2 to 7 3/4 pounds (2.5 to 3.5 kg). In terms of egg laying, this species lays between 60 to 100 eggs each year with the weight of each egg measuring between 70 and 80 grams (.07 to .08 kg). Compared to landraces of improved varieties, the Blekinge ducks lay fewer eggs. Also, the hatch percentage for the Blekinge ducks is about 36 percent. This means that more than 50 percent of eggs laid are not hatched.

The Blekinge ducks have white feathers and white neck rings that set them from the other variety of ducks. The Blekinge Ducks does not mate with grass duck males because grass ducks are smaller in size compared to the Blekinge duck. This incompatibility is what has maintained their genetic purity over the years. The Blekinge Duck is considered a threatened species and a few of them exist today. This is what has brought about an increased awareness in terms of the Blekinge Duck conservation.

Blekinge Ducks are related to geese and swans and the duck is the smallest of these birds with shorter wings and neck and a stocky body. Blekinge Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed.
The Blekinge ducks usually move in groups with a typical group consisting of one drake and about 3 to 4 females.

Underneath the water-proof coat are downy soft fluffy feathers which keep the Blekinge Ducks body warm. Blekinge Ducks keep clean by being able to turn their heads completely backwards, and put their beaks into their feathers by preening themselves.

A Blekinge Duck is a Precocial (meaning) Born or hatched with the eyes open, a covering of hair or down, capable of a high degree of independent activity from birth and able to leave the nest just a few hours after hatching.
An male adult Blekinge Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Blekinge Duck is called a (hen). A young baby duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling. The female (hen) are usually a plain colored brown for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests.

Features of the Blekinge duck eggs

A Blekinge duck egg has twice the nutritional value than a chicken egg and will stay fresh longer because of their thicker shell.
Blekinge duck eggs are richer with more Albumen "the white of an egg" making pastries and cakes richer and fluffier. A Blekinge duck Egg has more Omega 3 fatty acids than a chicken egg. Omega 3 is thought to improve skin health, memory and Brain health. Blekinge duck Eggs are an Alkaline producing food and a Chicken egg is an acid food and leaves your body more acid. Blekinge duck eggs are high in Cholesterol. Duck eggs have 6 times the Vitamin D and 2 times the Vitamin A than a chicken egg. Blekinge duck eggs have 2 times the cholesterol than a chicken egg.

Water-proof feathers of Blekinge Duck

A special feature that the Blekinge Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the Blekinge Duck dives underwater, its downy under-layer of feathers will stay totally 100% dry. There is a special gland called the "Preen Gland" also called Oil Gland or Uropygial, that produces oil that is near the Blekinge Ducks tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Blekinge Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof.

Features about the Blekinge Ducks Feet

Blekinge Ducks have webbed feet, that makes them act like paddles, designed for swimming. The Blekinge Duck push their webbed paddle feet back in a kicking motion, this allows them to move swift through the water and when the feet come back, they close for less water resistance. The Blekinge Ducks paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Blekinge Duck waddle instead of walk. The Blekinge Ducks feet have capillaries which help blood flow to their feet. The warm blood flow down the leg and creates a heat exchange system. When the blood flows down the leg, it meets the cold blood and is warmed up to keep the Blekinge Ducks feet warm. Blekinge Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

About the Bill of the Blekinge Duck

A "bill" is what is call a Blekinge Ducks mouth. There are no teeth in the Blekinge Ducks bill, they have rows of thin bristles, which helps them to filter pieces of nutrition out of the water. Blekinge Ducks swallow there food whole and it goes to an organ called a gizzard, were the food is first ground up and than moves on to the stomach. The different bill shapes and sizes for finding food, has over time mutated to fit each environment. The bill is flat and broad and has rows of fine incision along the outer edge called "lamellae". meaning a thin membrane, plate, scale or layer, as of cell wall or bone tissue. The larnellae helps the Blekinge Duck to clutch food for feeding.

Scientific name for Blekinge Duck "Anas Platyrhynchos" meaning - Wild dabbling duck from which domestic ducks are descended; widely distributed. From New Latin "anas" meaning (Duck) and the word Platyrhynchos comes from "platyrrhine", Ancient Greek meaning (broad snouted, flat-bridged nose).
Blekinge Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Ducks of all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Ducks are also called "waterfowls" they are generally found in places were there is water, such as ponds, rivers, streams, lakes and occasionally your back yard pool.

The male Blekinge Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female lays 5 to 10 eggs, she will start to sit on her eggs to keep them warm so that they can hatch into baby ducklings. The eggs will hatch on average within 26 to 28 days. Baby ducklings are able to fly within 5 to 8 weeks.

Blekinge Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Blekinge Ducks have three eyelids the third eyelid called nictitating membrane. They have a top and bottom as well as a third eyelid that is found on the side of the eye. The Blekinge Ducks eyelid blinking acts as a windshield wiper to clear the eye. This helps to see when diving under water can also help the eye from drying out while flying. This is an act of constantly cleaning and keeping the eye moist.

A Blekinge Duck is a Precocial (meaning) Born or hatched with the eyes open, a covering of hair or down, capable of a high degree of independent activity from birth and able to leave the nest just a few hours after hatching.
An male adult Blekinge Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Blekinge Duck is called a (hen). A young baby duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling. The female (hen) are usually a plain colored brown for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests