Magpie Duck

The Magpie is a British duck breed that was imported into the United States in the 1960s. The Magpie was accepted into the Standard of Perfection in 1977. The Magpie is a very rare duck breed, listed as ‘threatened’ on The Livestock Conservancy Priority List. 

The Magpie is known for their distinctive color and markings, white with dark coloring on top of their head and a large dark colored patch along their back from their shoulders down. Interestingly, Magpie duckling coloration will not change as they mature. The Magpie, like the Cayuga, can display ‘graying’, with white flecks appearing in its cap as it ages. 

Magpie hens are good layers, and their eggs have been known to hatch earlier than other breeds. Magpies are active foragers.