No one is really sure as to the origins of Call Ducks, but it is generally believed that they were first bred in Holland where they were known as the Dutch Decoy. One school of thought has it though that they came from the Orient before that. Around the time they were being developed in Holland they were also being bred in England, especially in Norfolk, where it became fashionable to name them 'Calls' - hence today's name.
The original Calls on both sides of the North Sea would have been mallard in colour as they were initially used to entice or decoy other wild duck species into the range of huntsmen's weapons. A Decoy or Call female will freely utter loud steady calls when separated from it's mate or when released from confinement in a box.
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