Alabio Duck

The Alabio duck, or itik Alabio, is an Indonesian domestic duck associated with Alabio and the wetlands of South Kalimantan. It is a mallard-derived egg type rather than a standardized Western exhibition breed, and local lines can vary in size and color. Many birds have a fairly upright, active build suited to moving through paddy fields and canals. Females are often brown, fawn, or grey-brown with darker penciling or speckling, while drakes commonly show darker heads and tail curls. The breed is valued in Indonesia for high egg output and as part of regional duck farming systems.

Alabio ducks are usually discussed in the context of village flocks, semi-intensive farms, and conservation of Indonesian poultry genetic resources. They handle humid tropical conditions better than many cold-climate breeds, but they still need shade, clean drinking water, dry night shelter, and feed that supports laying when foraging is limited. In rice-growing areas they may be herded or allowed to forage after harvest, where they consume snails, insects, and spilled grain. Breeding programs focus on egg production, survivability, and maintaining local bloodlines, while keepers outside the region should expect variation rather than a single show-standard look.