canard colombin

English translation: pastel duck, Saxony duck

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:canard colombin
English translation:pastel duck, Saxony duck
Entered by: Emily Plank

10:59 Mar 7, 2013
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Zoology
French term or phrase: canard colombin
The passage of text is about a small farmyard in France in the 1940s, which included a "canard colombin et sa femelle albinos". Can anyone please help me with the term "canard colombin"? Some sort of a duck or pigeon?! Thanks in advance.
Emily Plank
Australia
Local time: 17:08
pastel duck, duck with pastel plumage
Explanation:
Since my hobby is raising poultry, I did a little more research on this. I'm pretty sure they are referring to a duck like a Saxony, possibly a landrace or "farmer's breed" rather than a pure breed (believe it or not there are folks who take poultry showing just as seriously as those who show dogs, horses, etc.). Dave Holderread, a well-known US waterfowl expert, breeds the Saxony, and refers to this plumage pattern as "pastel". I've attached his web address for you, there is a photo gallery of the different breeds he raises and you can see for yourself what a Saxony drake and duck (canard saxe) look like. Other breeds, even crossbreeds, can have this pastel pattern too. In fact one of the breeds used to create the Saxony was the Rouen, which is a large meat breed originally developed in France that has the same plumage as the mallard (canard colvert). So I'd think it's highly likely that a farmer's breed or landrace of ducks with pastel plumage could have been found on small farmyards in France.
Selected response from:

John Speese
United States
Local time: 05:08
Grading comment
Thank you, John, and everyone else who helped. I will go with this option for the moment, and if my client tells me otherwise, I will update the glossary.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4coulumbine blue duck
Drmanu49
4columbine bird
Jane Proctor (X)
4dove-colored duck
Elsa Chesnel
4pastel duck, duck with pastel plumage
John Speese


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
coulumbine blue duck


Explanation:
It's the color "bleu colombin"

Élevage des oies et canards - Google Books Result
books.google.fr/books?isbn=2844163483
Alain Fournier - 2005
Le plumage du canard présente différents coloris : bleu colombin, rouge rouillé, blanc farineux et gris bleuâtre ; celui de la cane : pois intense, fauve clair, crème ...


The British cyclopæedia of natural history: combining a scientific ... - Page 87
books.google.fr/books?id=ezdEAAAAYAAJ
Charles Frederick Partington - 1836 - Read - More editions
Lake red, the crimson red of Werner (arterial blood red with a portion of Berlin blue). ... Purplish red, the columbine red of Werner (carmine red with a little Berlin blue and a small portion of Indigo line). Animal ... Animal, head of pin-tail duck.


Drmanu49
France
Local time: 10:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 36
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
columbine bird


Explanation:
It looks like a duck, but is in fact a bird (or is a duck, indeed a "bird"?!) Do a google image search columbine bird.. Don't think you should add "blue".

Jane Proctor (X)
France
Local time: 10:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
dove-colored duck


Explanation:
Columbine here refers to the color, not to the species, plus this isn't blue but purplish grey, red:

Colonbin : Qui a la couleur de la gorge du pigeon, qui est d'une couleur changeante et qui varie entre le rouge et le violet`` (Ac. 1932). CNRTL

Dove color: warm gray with a slight purplish or pinkish tint. Dictionary.com

Elsa Chesnel
Canada
Local time: 02:08
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
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1 day 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
pastel duck, duck with pastel plumage


Explanation:
Since my hobby is raising poultry, I did a little more research on this. I'm pretty sure they are referring to a duck like a Saxony, possibly a landrace or "farmer's breed" rather than a pure breed (believe it or not there are folks who take poultry showing just as seriously as those who show dogs, horses, etc.). Dave Holderread, a well-known US waterfowl expert, breeds the Saxony, and refers to this plumage pattern as "pastel". I've attached his web address for you, there is a photo gallery of the different breeds he raises and you can see for yourself what a Saxony drake and duck (canard saxe) look like. Other breeds, even crossbreeds, can have this pastel pattern too. In fact one of the breeds used to create the Saxony was the Rouen, which is a large meat breed originally developed in France that has the same plumage as the mallard (canard colvert). So I'd think it's highly likely that a farmer's breed or landrace of ducks with pastel plumage could have been found on small farmyards in France.


    Reference: http://www.holderreadfarm.com
John Speese
United States
Local time: 05:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you, John, and everyone else who helped. I will go with this option for the moment, and if my client tells me otherwise, I will update the glossary.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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