INDIAN RUNNER DUCK ASSOCIATION

Photos:

Standard Colours of the Indian Runner Duck

These standards are from the British Waterfowl Association Indian Runner Standards Review led by senior representatives from the IRDA
New Photos of the colours are published in these 2008 Standards

BLACK DRAKE
Plumage Black with a beetle-green lustre throughout
Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings Black with a beetle-green sheen. Underwing dark grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible. Orange shading permitted in older drakes.
BLACK DUCK
Plumage Black with a beetle-green lustre throughout.
Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black.
Wings Black with a beetle-green sheen. Underwing dark grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible.
Colour Disqualifications Conspicuous brown or white in the plumage, including underwing. Yellow bill. Pencilling on the breast. In the female: eye stripes.

Major Colour Defects Purple lustre in the plumage. Grey under chin or on the secondaries and coverts. In the female: orange in the legs and feet.
Minor Colour Defects Grey Blue tip on the bill

 
  

CHOCOLATE DRAKE
Plumage A rich, solid chocolate throughout. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black
Wings A dark, rich, solid chocolate throughout. Underwing pearly brown-grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible. Orange shading permitted in older drakes.
CHOCOLATE DUCK
Plumage A rich, solid chocolate throughout. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: black
Wings A dark, rich, solid chocolate throughout. Underwing pearly brown-grey.
Legs and webs As black as possible.
Colour Disqualifications Yellow bill. Conspicuous white or pencilling in outer plumage including the underwing In the female: eye stripes

Major Colour Defects Green bill. orange in the legs and feet.

CUMBERLAND BLUE DRAKE
Plumage Rich dark blue. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Bluish green.
Wings Rich slate blue with dark lacing on the coverts. Underwing blue/grey.
Legs and webs Smoky orange to grey.
CUMBERLAND BLUE DUCK
Head and neck Rich blue. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Bluish grey.
Wings Rich slate blue with dark lacing on the coverts. Underwing blue-grey.
Legs and webs Smoky orange to grey.
Colour Disqualifications Feathers of any colour other than blue, notably any russet tinge including the underwing.

Major Colour Defects Yellow bill
Minor Colour Defects Dark flecks in the plumage

FAWN DRAKE
Head and neck Dark bronze with metallic lustre, changing to rich brown-red of the lower neck and upper breast. Eyes golden brown. Bill: Pure black to dark olive green mottled with black.
Back Deep brown, almost black with metallic lustre on the rump
Breast Rich brown-red on the lower neck and upper breast. Lower breast: French grey produced by fine stippling of sepia on afawn drake lighter
Flanks etc. French grey produced by fine stippling of sepia on a lighter ground, extending to the almost black undertail
Tail Deep brown, almost black towards the centre
Legs and webs Black or dark tan mottled with black

FAWN DUCK
Head and neck Warm ginger fawn, a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the body. Each feather is marked with darker red brown graining. No eye stripes. Eyes: Golden brown. Bill: Black.
Back Rich and well-marked pencilling on an almost uniform warm ginger fawn ground with no marked variation of shade
Breast The lower part of the neck and neck expansion is a shade warmer than the head and upper neck, each feather pencilled with warm red-brown.
Flanks etc. Light fawn, pencilled.
Tail Light fawn, pencilled.
Wings Secondaries warm red-brown. Primaries a shade lighter. Scapulars rich ginger-fawn with well-marked red-brown pencilling. Smaller coverts slightly lighter than the scapulars but darkening towards the greater coverts, pencilled.
Legs and webs Black or dark tan. fawn duck
Colour Disqualifications White body or wing feathers. Blue or green wing bars. Orange or yellow bill. Bright orange feet or legs.
In the male: lack of brown-red breast colour. In the female: lack of warm ginger-fawn tone to the plumage; chevron pencilling; eyebrows or eye stripes
Major Colour Defects Light or cream wing-coverts or flights. Light tan legs and feet. In the female: barred feathers on lower flanks


BLUE DUSKY AND APRICOT DUSKY
See sample pdf of pages 100 and 102 Blue Dusky and Apricot Dusky


FAWN&WHITE DRAKE
Head and neck The cap and cheek markings are dull bronze-green. The cap is separated from the cheek markings by a projection from the white of the neck extending up to, and in most cases terminating in, a narrow line more or less encircling the eye. The cap should cleanly and smoothly encircle the head. The cheek markings should not extend on to the neck. The bill is divided from the head markings by a narrow prolongation of the neck-white (3-6 mm wide) extending from the white underneath the chin. The neck is pure white to where the neck expansion begins, where the meeting is clean cut. Eyes: Dark brown. Bill: Light orange-yellow in young birds; green-yellow in adult drakes; black bean.
Back The base of the neck, scapular feathers, back and rump are similar to the breast colours, darkening to green-bronze on the rump
Breast Uniform soft warm or ginger-fawn, produced by a fine stippling of brown on the cream ground of the individual feathers. The fawn of the thorax should meet the white of the abdomen in a clean line (near the bottom of the breast bone and the top of the thighs).
Flanks etc. The white extends between the legs to beyond the vent, and also includes the thigh coverts, which obscure most of the coloured thighs.
Tail Tail feathers cream to medium brown in the central area. Undertail bronze
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.

FAWN&WHITE DUCK
Head and neck The cap and cheek markings are nearly the same shade of fawn as the body colour. The cap is separated from the cheek markings by a projection from the white of the neck extending up to, and in most cases terminating in, a narrow line more or less encircling the eye. The cap should cleanly and smoothly encircle the head. The cheek markings should not extend on to the neck. The bill is divided from the head markings by a narrow prolongation of the neck-white (3–6 mm wide) extending from the white underneath the chin. The neck is pure white to where the neck expansion begins, where the meeting is clean cut. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow in young birds; spotted green to almost entirely dull cucumber in adult females. Black bean.
Back The base of the neck, scapular feathers, back and rump are similar to the breast colours
Breast and flanks The coloured plumage is nearly the same shade as the Fawn Runner duck; the feathers are pencilled, medium brown on fawn. The fawn of the thorax should meet the white of the abdomen in a clean line (near the bottom of the breast bone and the top of the thighs). The white extends between the legs to beyond the vent, and also includes the thigh coverts which obscure most of the coloured thighs.
Tail Fawn to medium brown in the central area
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
Colour Disqualifications In the male: seal-grey or seal-brown cap, cheek and tail coverts. Any sign of a brown-red bib.
In the female: blue grey pencilling on coloured body feathers or solid un-pencilled apricot buff feathers.
Major Colour Defects In the male: light coloured scapulars.
In the female: Eystripes.
Both: Asymmetry of markings. Fawn extending from the back on to the abdomen and thigh coverts (‘foul flanked’). insufficient white plumage.
Minor Colour Defects ‘Dribbles’ of cap colour on to the white neck. Cheek markings extending on to the neck. Any irregular, blotchy or unclear markings that detract from the symmetry and general cleanness of the colour boundaries. Lack of black bean on bill


AMERICAN FAWN& WHITE DRAKE american drake
Head and neck Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn. The cap is grey-fawn. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow in young birds; green-yellow in adult drakes. Pale bean.
Back Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn, grey-fawn on the rump.
Breast and flanks Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even light fawn.
Tail Tail feathers cream to light grey-fawn in the central area. Undertail grey-fawn.
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts light fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.

AMERICAN FAWN& WHITE DUCK
NEW PHOTOS ARE IN THE 2008 STANDARDS
Head and neck Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot- fawn. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: light orange-yellow possibly darkening with age. Pale bean.
Back Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Breast and flanks Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Tail Pied markings distributed as in the pencilled Fawn-and-white (above). Coloured feathers an even apricot-fawn (without pencilling).
Wings Primaries, secondaries and tertials white; scapulars and some of the smaller coverts light apricot-fawn, giving approximately a heart shape.
Legs and webs Deep orange.
Colour Disqualifications In the male: bronze-green or seal brown cap, cheek & tail coverts. In the female, medium brown or blue grey pencilling on coloured body feathers
Major Colour Defects Fawn extending from the back on to the abdomen and thigh coverts (‘foul flanked’). Black bean on bill
Minor Colour Defects ‘Dribbles’ of cap colour on to the white neck. Cheek markings extending on to the neck. Any irregular, blotchy or unclear markings that detract from the symmetry and general cleanness of the colour boundaries.

 

More info about the colours in Colour Breeding

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Waterfowl Standards

"Totally comprehensive, including colour photos of the breeds . . ."

"At first I thought there would be little need to describe the content of this book to you as the title is so self explanatory... but this edition includes wonderful colour photographs of most breeds of Waterfowl, many of which are from show winners, including new colours of Call and Runner ducks that are so popular at the moment (there are in fact 27 pages of Runners!). Colour genotype information has been included for the first time - in short, a way of determining what a bird will inherit from its parents i.e. its genetic makeup. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about keeping or showing any waterfowl as it is THE guide to what breeders should be aiming to produce." Tim Daniels poultrykeeper.com

The book was produced by the BWA in 2008 and is available from the both the BWA and IRDA at runnerdux@yahoo.co.uk

MALLARD DRAKE
Head and neck Black with green lustre on the head and upper neck; a distinct white collar almost encircling the neck. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: green, dark bean
Back Dark grey shading to greenish black over the rump.
Breast Rich claret with no white fringing; margin of claret clearly defined.
Flanks etc. Light grey with dark grey stippling. Grey covering as much of the stern as possible
Tail Medium dull brown, paler outer feathers; coverts and undertail black mallard male
Wings Primaries and tertials grey. Speculum iridescent blue bordered by black then white. Coverts brownish grey except for greater coverts which are tipped with white then black. Main scapulars clear steel grey, outer edge bronze tinge. Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs Dull orange, darker webs.


MALLARD DUCK
Head and neck - Golden brown, each feather with darker brown graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the neck. Eye stripes i.e. a paler line above the eye, a dark line through the eye and a pale line in front of the eye. Plain brown throat. Eyes: brown. Bill: dark orange with brown saddle and dark bean
Back Brown or chestnut with darker pencilling (chevrons).
Breast and flanks Brown or chestnut with dark brown pencilling on each feather. Underbody similar
Tail - Dull dark buff, irregularly marked with brown; darker feathers in the centre than the outer edges
Wings - Primaries brownish slate. Speculum and its borders as drake. Tertials browner than primaries on exposed half. Coverts same colour as back. Scapulars similar to the Rouen . Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs - Dull orange, darker webs
mallard female
Colour Disqualifications - Clear yellow, blue or lead-coloured bill. White in the primaries. Pigmented underwing. Incomplete, obscure or bronze speculum. In the male: lack of neck ring; completely white stern. In the female: Lack of eye stripes; any indication of a white neck ring. Light fawn ground colour.
Major Colour Defects White feathers under the bill. In the male: white fringing on the claret breast feathers. Claret running into the body colour; yellow or blue-green in the colour of the bill; grey or white in the head colour. In the female: unclear pencilling on scapulars and back; pale throat and eye markings.
Minor Colour Defects Indistinct secondary or greater covert bars. In the male: black marks on the bill; lack of dark bronze on scapulars


SILVER DRAKE
Head and neck - Head and upper neck black with green lustre, terminated by an unbroken white neck ring. Eyes: dark brown.
Bill - olive-green with black bean.
Back - Upper back white feathers finely stippled with black and fringed with white. Lower down the back the stippling becomes heavier, each feather preferably fringed with white, until solid black with green lustre on the rump. Black sex curls which may be tipped with white
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders - claret fringed with white
Flanks etc. - Ground colour silvery whitish cream (white being preferable). A little of the claret breast colour extending along the upper flank. silver male
Tail - Brown-black bordered with white. Undertail black, finishing neatly and not running into the stern and flank colour.
Wings - Primaries silvery white with a slightly iridescent dark grey overlay. Secondaries (speculum) bluish-green tipped with distinct black then white bars. Greater coverts dark grey with well-defined white rim. Outer scapulars and tertials as the breast with wider silver-white edging. Smaller coverts: white feathers finely stippled with black (giving the impression of grey), and fringed with white. Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs - Orange

SILVER DUCK
Head and neck - Head and neck fawn (a deeper shade in young females) with the forehead and crown clearly grained with dark brown. There is a sharp division between the neck and upper white of the breast colour. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: dark slate green
Back - Lower back light fawn with darker central streak. Rump fawnish-grey with brown tips giving the impression of a triangular pattern
Breast & Flanks - Upper breast, lower neck and shoulders lightly streaked with light brown on a creamy white ground. Flanks lightly streaked. Lower breast, underbody and stern creamy white.
Tail - fawn, edged with cream. silver duck
Wings Primaries and speculum as the drake. Scapulars and tertials creamy fawn with brown flecks. Greater coverts dark grey with well-defined white rim. Smaller coverts dark fawn edged with cream. Underwing cream/white
Legs and webs - As dark grey as possible
Colour Disqualifications - Absent or bronze specula. Solid white or solid brown primary feathers. In the male: brown head; broken, too wide or absent neck ring. In the female: mallard eye stripes; white or grey head colour; yellow bill
Major Colour Defects - In the male: Too dark ground colour; breast colour running too low into body or lacking white edging; blue bill. In the female: absence of graining or streaking
Minor Colour - Defects In the male: lack of white tips on sex curls; black lines or marks on the bill. In the female: coarse graining on the head


TROUT DRAKE
Head and neck Black with green lustre on the head and upper neck; a distinct white collar almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: dark brown. Bill: golden olive, dark bean.
Back Silver grey with dark grey stippled pencilling, shading to greenish black over the rump. Lower back fringed with stippled light grey pencilling
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders claret, with fine white fringing on each feather.
Flanks etc. Light grey with mid grey stippled pencilling, shading to white stern
Tail Light stippled grey on outer vane, darker grey-brown on inner vane. Coverts and undertail black
Wings Primaries and tertials grey-brown. Speculum iridescent blue bordered with black then white. Coverts silver grey except for greater coverts which are indistinctly tipped with white then black. Main scapulars silver grey, outer edge faint bronze tinge. Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs Orange

TROUT DUCK
Head and neck Fawn, each feather with brown graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the upper neck. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; pale line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy fawn. Eyes: brown. Bill: pinkish orange brown with spots. Dark bean.
Back Fawn ground, delicately streaked or pencilled with dark brown. Pencilling best developed on the larger feathers
Breast & Flanks Fawn ground, delicately streaked or pencilled with dark brown. Pencilling best developed on the larger feathers.
Tail Buff marked with dark brown; darker feathers in the centre than the outer edges
Wings Primaries greyish buff. Speculum and its borders as drake. Tertials showing indications of pencilling. Coverts grey brown edged with light fawn. Scapulars ideally pencilled with a single V in brown on light fawn. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs Dull orange somewhat darker than the drake
Colour Disqualifications White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. Incomplete speculum. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; yellow or lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring.
Major Colour Defects White feathers under the bill. In the male: bill dark or blue-green; grey or white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: 'mossy' or indistinct feather markings on the back of the duck's body.
Minor Colour Defects Indistinct secondary or greater covert bars. In the male: dark bronze dominating the scapulars. In the female: bright orange bill colour; throat colour extending too far on to the breast


BLUE TROUT DRAKE
Head and neck Head and upper neck charcoal blue with slight lustre. Distinct white ring almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: brown. Bill: green, dark bean
Back Silver grey with blue grey stippled pencilling, shading to laced blue-grey over the rump. Lower back fringed with stippled light grey pencilling. Rump dark laced blue-grey.
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders claret with faint off-white fringing
Flanks etc. Abdomen, flanks and thighs light grey with blue-grey stippled pencilling, shading to white stern.
Tail Light grey on outer vane of each feather; blue-grey on the inner vane. Undertail blue grey
Wings Primaries and tertials blue-grey. Speculum charcoal blue bordered with blue grey then white. Coverts silver grey/brown except for greater coverts which are blue-grey tipped with pearl grey then charcoal blue. Main scapulars silver blue-grey, outer edge faint bronze tinge. Cream/white underwing.
Legs and webs Orange

BLUE TROUT DUCK
Head and neck - Fawn, each feather with blue-grey graining. This graining forms a darker band from the crown down the back of the upper neck. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; pale line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy white. Eyes: brown. Bill: pinkish orange brown with spots. Brown bean
Back Upper back - Fawn ground clearly pencilled with blue-grey
Breast & Flanks - Grey fawn delicately streaked or pencilled with blue grey. Ground colour richer fawn and more heavily pencilled on the breast and lower neck
Tail - Grey-buff on the outer vane of each feather and grey on the inner vane, with slight blue-grey pencilling
Wings - Primaries grey with faint buff on the leading edges. Speculum dark blue-grey tipped with white.Tertials fawnish blue showing indications of pencilling. Greater coverts light blue-grey tipped with dark blue-grey then white. Lesser coverts fawn with central blue-grey pencilling. Scapulars rich fawn with central blue-grey pencilling. Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs - Dull orange
Colour Disqualifications - White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring
Major Colour Defects -White feathers under the bill. In the male: grey or white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: white feathers under the bill
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: throat colour extending too far on to the breast


APRICOT TROUT DRAKE (Blau-gelb)
Head and neck -Head and upper neck pigeon blue. Distinct white ring almost encircling the neck and tapering towards the back and tapering towards the shoulders. Eyes: brown. Bill: yellow green; horn coloured bean
Back - Oatmeal shading to solid pigeon blue over the rump
Breast Lower neck, breast and shoulders - claret with faint off-white fringing
Flanks etc.- Abdomen, flanks and thighs pearl grey, shading to white stern
Tail - Cream on outer vane of each feather; pearl grey on the inner vane. Undertail pigeon blue Blaugelb
Wings Primaries and tertials - pearl-grey. Speculum pigeon blue tipped with white. Small coverts oatmeal changing to fawn on the greater coverts which are pigeon blue tipped with white. Main scapulars oatmeal, outer edge claret tinge. Cream/white underwing
Legs and webs - Orange


APRICOT TROUT DUCK (Blau-gelb)

Head and neck - Deep apricot buff. Eyebrow creamy white; dark line through the eye; creamy white line in front of the eye down to the bill. Base of the bill and front of the neck creamy fawn. Eyes: brown. Bill: brown-yellow. Pale bean
Back - Apricot buff. Lower back and rump pale apricot
Breast & Flanks - Deep apricot buff
Tail - Apricot buff on the outer vane of each feather and light buff on the inner vane
Wings -Primaries oatmeal. Secondaries (speculum) pigeon blue tipped with white. Smaller coverts light apricot buff. Greater coverts pigeon blue tipped with white. Main scapulars deep apricot buff
Legs and webs - Orange . Blaugelb female
Colour Disqualifications - White in the primaries. Pigmented underwings. In the male: lack of white stern. In the female: lack of eye stripes; lead-coloured bill; any indication of a white neck ring
Major Colour Defects - White feathers under the bill. In the male: black bean on bill; white in the head colour; lack of fringing on the claret breast feathers. In the female: white feathers under the bill
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: throat colour extending too far on to the breast

WHITE DRAKE
Plumage -Pure white throughout.
Eyes - blue. Bill: Orange-yellow. Legs & Webs: orange

WHITE DUCK
Plumage - Plumage pure white.
Eyes - blue. Bill bright yellow orange. Legs & Webs: orange
Colour Disqualifications - Any coloured feathers. In the male: any black on the bill
Major Colour Defects - In the female: black bean or line on the bill. mottled legs
Minor Colour Defects - In the female: black spots are a common minor fault with age