Faroese Ducks

Facts about Faroese Duck. The Faroese duck are diligent and active breeds who search their own food and they require little or no maintenance. Although they just weigh about 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg), the Faroese Duck produce good and quality duck meat. Because of the low quantity of meat they produce. Scientific name for Faroese 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).
Faroese Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Ducks of all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Faroese 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 Faroese Duck have been replaced with Peking ducks, which have seen their population decline very rapidly. The Faroese Ducks like to stroll along river banks and beaches of the Faroe Islands and they are often kept together alongside other home poultry such as hens.

History of Faroese Duck

The Faroese Duck is one of the oldest duck in history who are hardy and very adaptable to wide range of environments. Old masterpieces and photographs take us to Faroe Islands in Denmark where the duck seems to have been residing while spending most of its time along rivers and small streams. The photographs show Faroese duck grubbing in water bodies located in Faroe Islands. In this particular Island, every household is said to have kept hens and duck and for sure, there were as many poultry as the inhabitants. Since there were no predators in this Island, the Faroese Duck roamed around the countryside freely. Since 20th century, the population of the Faroese Ducks has declined owing to environmental and social factors.

A "bill" is what is call a Faroese Ducks mouth. There are no teeth in the Faroese Ducks bill, they have rows of thin bristles, which helps them to filter pieces of nutrition out of the water. Faroese 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 Faroese Ducks 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 Faroese Duck to clutch food for feeding.

Characteristics of Faroese Duck

Being Independent and self-sufficient breed, the Faroese ducks are one of the most adorable ducks in the backyard. Although, their popularity has reduced today, the Faroese Ducks remain one of the best egg layers laying about 150 eggs in one season. The drakes are bigger and authoritative while the female Faroese Ducks tend to be industrious and active searching something to feed their chicks with. The Faroese Duck produce less meat and they have been replaced with Peking ducks that give out more meat but the Peking ducks need more food and their maintenance may be expensive.

A Faroese 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.

Multiple variety of colors ranging from wild, black, white, black with white breast etc. feature them. The Faroese Duck lay white eggs weighing about 50g each. They are endangered duck breeds and as we talk, less than 2000 Faroese Ducks can be found in Faroe Islands. From around May to October, one could see large flocks of the Faroese Ducks grubbing together in the countryside searching for food.

Faroese Ducks are related to swans and geese and the Faroese Duck is the smallest of these birds with shorter wings and neck and a stocky body. Faroese Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed. Faroese Ducks are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin.

A male adult Faroese Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Faroese 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 male Faroese Ducks (drakes) are the brighter colored ducks while the female (hen) are usually a plain colored for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests.

Water-proof feathers of Faroese Duck

A special feature that the Faroese Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the Faroese 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 Faroese Ducks tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Faroese Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof.

Faroese Ducks have webbed feet, that makes them act like paddles, designed for swimming. The Faroese 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 will close for less water resistance. The Faroese Ducks paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Faroese Duck waddle instead of walk. The Faroese 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 Faroese Ducks feet warm. Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

Underneath the water-proof coat are downy soft fluffy feathers which keep the Faroese Ducks body warm. Faroese Ducks keep clean by being able to turn their heads completely backwards, and put their beaks into their feathers by preening themselves.
Faroese Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Ducks fly in a “V” shape to makes flying easier.

The male Faroese Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female Faroese Duck lays 5 to 8 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 Faroese ducklings are able to fly within 5 to 8 weeks. Ducks will lay more eggs, when there is more daylight, that's why farmers will keep the lights on in the ducks house for longer periods of time. The definition of Anatidaephobia is irrational fear that you are being watched by a duck.