They are very chatty ducks. They start quacking very early in the day, and practically quack non-stop the rest of the day, with a loud, high pitched quack that travels far. Because of this, they were used by duck hunters as “bait” to call wild ducks in. You’d tether them and set them out to float in a river or pond, and let their quacks invite other ducks to drop in. (This has now been replaced, of course, by plastic decoys and a duck quacker you blow through.)
Their plumage comes in 10 different colours: Apricot, Bibbed, Black, Blue Fawn, Dark Silver, Magpie, Mallard, Pied, Silver and White. Males will have a dark head, neck and tail. White Call Ducks have yellow legs, beak and skin.
Despite their loud quack, they have short bills.
For culinary purposes, they are better for meat rather than eggs. They lay only 50 to 70 eggs a year, and the white-shelled eggs are smallish, just 45 to 50g.
The ducks can start breeding at 7 to 8 months old.
History Notes
Call Ducks are considered native to Belgium. They have been raised there since at least 1850.