Swedish Blue
|
Swedish Blue ducks | |
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): critical[1] |
|---|---|
| Other names |
|
| Country of origin | Sweden |
| Traits | |
| Weight | Male: 3–4 kg |
| Female: 2.5–3.5 kg | |
| Classification | |
| APA | Medium Duck[2] |
| PCGB | Heavy[3] |
|
Duck Anas platyrhynchos domesticus | |
The Swedish Blue (Swedish: Svensk blå anka)[4] or Blue Swedish is a breed of domesticated duck which emerged during the 19th century in Swedish Pomerania, near the Baltic shores of the what is now modern Germany and Poland.[5] Within the American Standard of Perfection, the "blue" is the only variety of the breed "Swedish".[2][6]
Description
The Swedish Blue is a medium-sized bird: the male weighs between 3–4 kg and the female usually weighs 2.5–3.5 kg. Swedish ducks are regularly compared to the body type of Cayugas and Orpingtons, however Swedish should have shorter bodies with more width compared to what is seen in those two breeds[7]. Blue Swedish have medium, oval-shaped heads[8]. Color should be a consistent blue-slate with darker lacing around the border of each feather. Generally, the drakes will be darker than the females[8]. The only part of the birds that is not some variety of blue is the white, heart-shaped bib found on the breast, extending up the front of the neck terminating towards the mandible of the bird[8]. Swedish Blue ducks are very calm birds and make good beginner's ducks. They produce 100 eggs per year of 80–90 g weight. They love to free range and will go broody.
Genetics
The color of Swedish Blue ducks is due to heterozygosity in a color gene. If a Swedish Blue duck and drake breed, the young are the usual 25% / 50% / 25% ratio in:
- 25%: A homozygous form, black where the blue should be.
- 50%: Heterozygous, as the parents.
- 25%: The other homozygous form, splashed or silver with combinations of blue and black and white.
Distribution
The Swedish Blue is a relatively unpopular breed of duck. The population of Swedish blue ducks in Sweden consists of only 148 breeding birds; its conservation status world-wide was listed as "critical" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2007[1] and in 2014 was listed as "endangered-maintained" in Sweden.[9] No data is reported from Ireland, the only other country reporting the breed.[10] It is listed as "watch" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.[6] The Blue Swedish is not a popular exhibition breed either[7]. Specifics on wing color make the breed extremely challenging to perfect and often discourages breeders and hobbyists from owning the breed[7].
See also
References
- 1 2 Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed August 2014.
- 1 2 APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties, 2012
- ↑ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Accessed August 2014.
- ↑ Breed data sheet: Svensk Blå Anka/Sweden. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2014.
- ↑ The Poultry Club of Great Britain: Ducks
- 1 2 "Swedish Duck". The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
- 1 2 3 Holderread, Dave (2001). Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. North Adams, MA, USA: Storey Publishing. pp. 64, 65.
- 1 2 3 Standard Revision Committee; Malone, Pat; Donnelly, Gerald; Leonard, Walt (2001). American Standard of Perfection 2001. USA: American Poultry Association. pp. 312, 313.
- ↑ Transboundary breed: Swedish Blue. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2014.
- ↑ Breed data sheet: Swedish Blue/Ireland. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2014.