Duck breeds come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some of the popular choices for backyard flocks and farms are the black-and-white duck breeds known for their unique black-and-white coloration.
Besides their color mix similarity, these duck breeds have many differences. They differ in terms of appearance, egg-laying and meat quality, and temperament. So, before you choose a black and white duck breed you need to research its unique characteristics to find the one that you want to raise, or just admire in its natural habitat. To save you time and energy we have done broad research on your behalf to create a list of black-and-white duck breeds just for you.
This list will give you an insight into some of the most commonly black and white duck breeds and their most significant characteristics. Read on and find the breed that catches your eye and attention!
7 Black and White Duck Breeds
Every duck breed on our list has a unique black-and-white look. Rather stylish, don’t you think? Even though at first glimpse they all look alike they have different temperaments, lifespans, weights, sizes, egg-laying abilities, and meat quality. Check out our black-and-white list to find the unique duck breed that meets your expectations.
1. Magpie Duck
- Used for meat, eggs, and exhibition
- Temperament: Quiet, active, can be easily upset
- Lifespan: 8 to 12 years
- Weight: Male (5-6lbs)/ Female (4.5-5lbs)
- Size: Medium
- Egg size and color: Medium to large, white, green, and blue eggs
According to the livestock conservancy (America’s leading organization protecting endangered livestock and poultry breeds), the Magpie duck is a light and long-bodied bird with distinguished black and white feathers. There are also other non-standard color varieties developed by duck breeders. Regardless of the feathers’ color, all Magpie ducks have the following characteristics:
- Magpies are very active rummagers that nibble and search their considerable portion of food from grass, seeds, insects, and water life;
- Magpies are good mothers and egg-layers laying 220-290 greenish-blue, brown-speckled eggs each year;
- They hatch their eggs one week before the other duck breeds;
- For high egg production choose active strong-legged from high-producing families;
- Magpies’ meat is of gourmet quality and each duck provides a portion for 2 to 3 people;
- They don’t fly but can propel themselves over a 2-3-foot wall if startled;
- Magpies are a healthy active breed that loves to rummage if given enough room and a pond;
- This quiet breed only gets loud and nervous when threatened.
Magpies adapt and have no problems in different weather conditions. Generally speaking, this black and white duck breed is a great breed for beginners.
2. Ancona Duck
- Used for: Meet, eggs, and as pets
- Temperament: Docile and calm
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Weight: Male (6-8lbs)/ Female (6-7lbs)
- Size: Medium
- Egg size and color: Large white, tinted, blue, green, spotted eggs
The Ancona duck is a close relative to the Magpie duck, only a bit sturdier. Besides the black and white coloration, there are other two color varieties of this breed and even a tricolored Ancona duck. This rare black and white duck breed is not recognized by the American Poultry Association breeders recommend that the ideal combination for the black and white coloration is three-quarters white plumage and one-quarter colored. Let’s see the other features Ancona duck is known for:
- This breed is hardy, adjustable, and has many purposes;
- The Ancona ducks are acceptable mothers and great egg-layers, usually laying around 210-280 white, cream, or blue eggs each year;
- The Ancona’s eggs get bigger as they mature;
- They grow quickly and give high-quality, flavorful, less fatty meat than most of the Pekin ducks;
- The Ancona breed doesn’t fly, doesn’t roam far, and if handled on time is an excellent choice for a pet;
- The Ancona is a homey duck that tends to stay close to the pond and due to its size there is a small chance to become prey for winged predators.
If you have a small farmstead or backyard flock the Ancona will make a great addition as a result of its calmness, excellent egg-laying ability, and tasty meat.
3. Pomeranian Duck
- Used for meat and eggs
- Temperament: Curious, friendly, and skittish
- Lifespan: 8 to 12 years
- Weight: Male (6.5lbs)/ Female (5.5lbs)
- Size: Medium
- Egg size and color: Large black and white, and blue and white eggs
The Pomeranian duck has two recognizable double colorations, black and white, and blue and white. Blue and white is more common than the black and white, but there is also a rare, but unrecognized, brown variety. You should also know the following information before you add the Pomeranian duck to your flock:
- Pomeranian ducks are not the best egg layers, laying around 80-100 eggs each year;
- Their meat is tender and tasty, therefore they are a well-liked delicacy, but lately, they have been mainly bred for ornamental purposes;
- Pomeranian ducks have fairly long and broad bodies;
- Pomeranian ducks are mostly raised for their delicious meat and eggs, but sometimes breeders raise these ducks to add a bit of beauty to their farm or backyard flock;
- They are friendly and chatty, also some are docile, and some are very aggressive.
If you start raising Pomeranian ducks, you will know if someone is coming because this particular black and white duck breed makes an excellent watch bird. These ducks will make sure your visitors are welcomed with loud noises.
4. Muscovy Duck
- Used for: Meet, and eggs
- Temperament: Docile, calm, and friendly
- Lifespan: 8 to 12 years (can live up to 20 years in captivity)
- Weight: Male (10-12lbs)/ Female (4-6lbs)
- Size: Large
- Egg size and color: Medium to largely white, cream color eggs
The Muscovy black and white duck breed is heavy and large and can have a wingspan of up to 64 inches. The female ducks are a bit lighter and can fly, while the males can weigh up to 15 lbs. and struggle to fly. Besides the usual black and white Muscovy there are variations of different colors like blue, black, chocolate, green, white, lavender, bronze, and more. The Muscovy duck also has the following unique characteristics:
- The Muscovy has a unique head and a dark red/blackish color“facial mask”;
- The males reach maturity in 29 weeks, and the females in 28 weeks, and mate from August to May;
- The Muscovy breed egg-laying routine is 60-120 medium to largely white, cream color eggs (containing more albumin than chicken eggs) each year;
- The Muscovy is a polygamous breed, but the male helps by keeping the nest and ducklings safe;
- It has 98% fat-free strong flavor meat (similar to roast beef, veal, or ham), around 50% more breast meat than a regular duck, and fewer calories and fat than a turkey;
- It is a calm, quiet duck (the female has a soft, and the male has low vocalization) unless it is attacked or excited;
- The Muscovy is a resilient duck breed but in colder climates, their large caruncles may be prone to frostbite so keep an eye open for any problems.
If you want a black and white duck breed with a high laying potential, then the Muscovy might not be the best choice for you. But if you want a quiet, friendly duck with a distinct personality that grows slow, and is non-aggressive (except for the mating and rearing season) then the Muscovy could be just what you need.
5. Crested Duck
- Used for meat, eggs, and sometimes exhibition purposes
- Temperament: Friendly but nervous
- Lifespan: 8 to 12 years
- Weight: Male (7lbs)/ Female (6lbs)
- Size: Medium
- Egg size and color: Large white or blue-colored eggs
The Crested duck is another recognized black and white duck breed. Even though the other color variations are not recognized you can see grey, blue, and buff Crested ducks. This middle-sized breed is great around children and its breeders but tends to become nervous when startled. They socialize well with other duck breeds as well and have the following qualities:
- The Crested duck is mostly quiet despite being nervous, and is a great choice for a pet;
- Domestic Crested ducks live longer than their wild counterparts, up to 20 years with proper care;
- They are consistent egg-layers if you are planning to keep them for the eggs, laying from 100 and 130 eggs each year;
- Crested ducks mature early and usually start laying eggs at around 5 to 6 months;
- Crested duck eggs are large, have more yolk, protein, minerals (selenium, zinc, and magnesium), and rich flavor, and are a fantastic source of nutrition;
- They are efficient meat producers not of large meat quantities but of healthy, tender, fat-free meat rich in nutrients, and minerals;
- Unlike other ducks Crested ducks don’t eat loads of food, and don’t require large and fancy housing.
If you are looking for a black and white breed that produces a fair amount of eggs and meat and looks good, raising Crested ducks might be good for you. They are easy to raise, friendly, and quiet. Just make sure to leave the breeding part to professionals.
6. Bufflehead Duck
- Used for meat and eggs
- Temperament: Less sociable than most ducks
- Lifespan: 3 years (on average)
- Weight: Male (1.1lbs)/ Female (0.7lbs)
- Size: Small
- Egg size and color: Small cream-colored or buff eggs
Unlike the other black and white ducks on our list, the Bufflehead duck is a wild, small, energetic diving duck. These ducks can be seen in pairs and small groups and rarely in large flocks. The male has a puffy head shape hence the name bufflehead duck. These ducks live near water (ponds, lakes, salt bays, and rivers) and are known for the following distinguished characteristics:
- They are great divers that search for food underwater;
- Bufflehead females lay 8 to 10 or 6 to 12 eggs with an incubation period of 29 to 31 days, or 28 to 33 days;
- The young ones leave the nest 1 or 2 days after hatching and are led to the water by their mother, and have their first flight when they are 50 to 55 days old;
- Bufflehead ducks eat aquatic insects, mollusks, and plants;
- Bufflehead ducks are a treat for many duck lovers because of their tasty and tender meat;
- Their eggs have a dark yellow yolk and are an excellent source of nutrition, proteins, and plenty of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A.
It’s legal but hard to catch Bufflehead ducks because they are pretty elusive. However, if you manage to catch one specimen of this black and white duck breed you will surely have a tasty feast.
7. Greater Scaup
- Used for meat and eggs
- Temperament: Quiet
- Lifespan: 10 to 12 years
- Weight: Male (2.32lbs)/ Female (2.15lbs)
- Size: Medium
- Egg size and color: Medium brownish olive-buff colored eggs
Greater Scaup is another wild black and white duck breed that lives in shallow lakes and ponds. They can be found in higher-ground wetlands for wind protection, and shallow waters for easy access to food. Just like the Bufflehead ducks they eat aquatic insects, mollusks, plants, and seeds. The Greater Scaup duck breed has the following habits:
- They search for food usually during the day and at night if the interruption from boats is too high during the day;
- They nest on the ground, where the females make a small dent near the water’s edge in areas protected with dense grass and sedge;
- The females usually line the nest with a dense layer of feathers plucked from their breast or from beneath the outer body feathers;
- Greater Scaups are divers that can dive up to 23 feet underwater to find food;
- Greater Scaups are monogamous ducks during the breeding season, but find new mates each year;
- Males have an interesting courtship ritual when they gather in groups of up to 17 ducks and surround a single female while calling and fighting for a spot near the female;
- Greater Scoup females are more likely to come back to the same breeding sites the following year than males.
According to Partners in Flight, the overall breeding population of the Greater Scoup is 780,000, and due to its rates on the Continental Concern Score, this black and white duck breed is listed as a Common Bird in Steep Decline (a 50% loss of their population in the last 40 years). The decline is caused not by one but by many factors like climate change, contamination, hunting, and more.
Conclusion
Domestic or wild black and white duck breeds are a “sight for sore eyes”! There are many breeds to choose from if you are looking for a new duck breed for your flock or backyard. If you are looking into the wild for these beauties, you can find them near water and admire them from afar. Either way, use the information on our list to learn as much as you can about the black and white duck breeds and their characteristics, so you can give them the love and the care they deserve.
