I.R.D.A.

First Standard of the Indian Runner Duck

In 1901 the Poultry Club published a Standard for the Indian Runner Duck, drawn up for the Waterfowl Club (later to be renamed the British Waterfowl Association) by John Donald, Senior, and Henry Digby, who allotted the number of points:

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS IN BOTH SEXES

Head and Neck.—Head: Fine and comparatively flat. Bill: Strong at the base, broad and long, coming as nearly as possible straight down from the skull, giving it the appearance of a long wedge. Eye: Situated high in the head. Neck: As long and thin as possible from base.

Body.—Body: Long and narrow, without any indica­tion of keel. Breast: Round and full. Back : Long and narrow. Wings: Carried close.

Tail.—Slightly elevated, with two or three well-curled feathers in that of the drake.

Legs and Feet.—Legs: Set weIl back, causing the erect carriage of body. Toes: Straight, connected by the web.

General Shape and Carriage.—Racy-looking, the body carried erect somewhat after the form of a Penguin.

Size and Weight.—Drake, 4 ½ lbs.  duck, 4 lbs.

COLOUR IN INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS.

In Both Sexes.—Head: The head should be adorned with a cap, and check markings of fawn or grey to match body colour as near as possible; a narrow line of white divides the cap from the cheek marks, whilst a line of white about 1/8th of an inch should divide the base of the bill from the head markings. Bill: Yellow when young, gradually changing to green in the adult bird, with a black bean at tip. Neck: Pure white from the head to where the breast markings begin, about 1 ½  to 2 inches from the base of the neck. Back : Fawn or grey. Wings: The shoulders and top part of wings fawn or grey, the flights white. Breast: Fawn or grey, evenly cut about halfway between the point of the breast-bone and the legs. Fluff : White, except an indistinct line of colour from the base of tail to the thighs. Tail: Fawn or grey. Legs and Toes: Deep, bright yellow.

    The colour of an Indian Runner, whether fawn or grey, should be uniform throughout the whole of the surface plumage, except the tail of the drake, which is darker. The fawn or grey of the shoulders, top part of wings, and tail should be the shape of a heart pressed flat on the back.

VALUE OF POINTS IN INDIAN RUNNER  

Defects in: head, eyes, and bill (15); head markings (10); neck and neck markings (10); body (10); body markings (25); legs (5); want of symmetry, typical carriage, and condition (25).                                                                                                             

Serious defects, for which a bird should be passed: Claret breasts, blue wing bars, horizontal carriage or shape, absence of feathers from the flights or any other part of the body, twisted wings, wry tail, or any other deformity.

Not every one was completely satisfied with the results, as usual. In this case there were quite serious problems. Jacob Thomlinson, in his little pamphlet The Indian Runner published by ‘The Feathered World’ in 1906, makes the following remarks:

Whether they are correct or not is an open question, and it is the one thing I should personally like to have readjusted, not from a selfish point of view, but that the points be given for those features which retain the true characteristics of the breed—namely, shape, type, carriage, and head and bill.

That the colour of the body should have received such a large share of points has been one of the chief stumbling-blocks which has led to the erratic judging of the last few years, besides which it is undoubtedly the chief cause of the degeneration that has so plainly set in, visible to the veriest tyro in the Fancy.

The Standard of 1907 put some of the problems right by giving more points for 'body, shape and carriage' (45 %). However, it was not until 1913 that the I.R.D.C. recognized the White and the Fawn variations which had almost been allowed to die out.

Secretary and General Enquiries: Chris Ashton