A Rocha Canada now has six new Indian Runner Ducks. Four of them were born 9 weeks ago and are running with a new crowd–the ARC chickens! The other two are just 5 weeks old.

Indian Runner Ducks are domesticated Mallards originating from the East Indies where they were bred by Indonesian farmers to provide eggs and to control pests in the rice paddies. Once referred to as ‘Penguin Ducks’ due to their very upright stance, these ducks have a distinctive ‘run’ rather than waddle because of their unusual elongated shape. From as early as 1835, there are reports of ‘Penguin ducks’ being imported into Britain. The first record of these ducks arriving in North America is in 1895, when three Indian Runners were shipped from England to New York.

Indian Runner Ducks became popular because of their prolific egg-laying capability. Today their natural foraging behaviour can still be used on farms, where they will pick through pasture to eat slugs, worms and insects whilst providing natural fertilizer. Although they are naturally nervous, they are purported to be easy to herd. These intriguing birds are a welcome addition to A Rocha Canada’s growing poultry population, and are a magnet for visiting children too.

Article by Sarah K. Young (Sarah hails from Scotland and is serving as a science intern with ARC, and of note, she is also a trained shepherdess!)