Duck Tales

Full of personality and easy to manage, ducks can make excellent pets for the right owner.

- Tim Falk

If you’ve ever seen the movie Babe, you’ll know the film’s most memorable character (besides the gorgeous talking pig, of course!) is a charismatic duck named Ferdinand. The plucky but anxious duck, who even poses as a rooster to avoid being eaten, is cute, adorable and loves getting up to mischief.

After watching Ferdinand in action, you’d be well within your rights to start wondering what it might be like to keep a duck as a pet. Ferdinand is an Indian Runner, a breed of duck that Michael Holmes from the Victorian Waterfowl Association nominates as an ideal pet for people who have not kept ducks before. As a former president of the association and current committee member, Michael knows that if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, there’s a chance it could make a wonderful pet.

“I have exhibited waterfowl since the age of 15 and have always found their docile nature is great when handling and exhibiting. They are easy to manage as some breeds will go broody and hatch their own and are very hardy,” he says.

As well as Indian Runners, Michael nominates Khaki Campbell and Australian Call ducks as good pets for beginners. “The Runner and Campbell are light breeds and love foraging in your garden for snails and bugs,” he says. “The Call is a bantam variety and great for junior exhibitors to handle. All three breeds come in a variety of colours and can be obtained through local auctions or varying websites.”