An American original
The Cayuga is the only duck breed developed in America, near Cayuga Lake in New York state, according to Kentucky Extension [1]. Metzer says it was developed from the wild Black Duck, and that before the Pekin arrived it was the Northeast's preferred meat duck [3]. That sits oddly beside Kentucky Extension's general statement that domestic breeds are believed to descend from the Mallard [1], so the exact ancestry is one of the things our sources do not agree on. The Livestock Conservancy lists the Cayuga in its Watch category [4].
Looks that change with age
The plumage is iridescent black with a green shimmer, which is why people keep them [3]. Metzer also says that as they age, Cayugas turn almost entirely white after several years [3], so a young black duck and a five-year-old one can look like different breeds. Eggs are unusual too: many have some grey in the shell and occasionally one comes out pure black [3].
Size and eggs
Cayugas are mid-sized, in the medium class [2]. Kentucky Extension gives hens as 6 to 7 pounds and drakes as 7 to 8 [1], while Metzer's breeders, weighed during lay and managed for egg production, run 4¾ to 6 pounds [2]. Laying figures disagree more: Kentucky Extension says 60 to 100 eggs a year [1], and Metzer says 130 to 180 for its birds, with the top figure assuming 17 hours of artificial light [2]. Expect a modest layer, and a lower count from show-line birds than from a hatchery's laying strain.
Temperament
This is where the Cayuga's gentle reputation and the numbers part ways. Metzer's staff scored Cayugas 8.8 on a 1-to-9 scale where 9 is the most nervous, among the highest on its chart [2]. That is one hatchery's handling of its own flocks, not a universal rule, and a duck raised by hand is likely to be calmer than one raised in a big group. Treat the Cayuga as a duck that may be easily startled, particularly early on.
The Livestock Conservancy describes a different bird: docile and calm, generally of even temperament, and easily tamed if hand raised, though a duck sitting on eggs can become more assertive [5]. We cannot reconcile the two, so we list temperament as disputed. The practical reading is that handling and how a duck was raised probably matter more than the breed label.
Noise, cold and heat
The Livestock Conservancy calls the Cayuga a quiet breed that suits urban and suburban settings, and notes that hens tend to be noisier than drakes [5]. It says Cayugas tolerate the harsh winters of the northeast but need access to shade in hot weather [5]. That is one institution's description, not a measurement, so treat "quiet" as a tendency and still check your local rules before you count on it.
Flight, mothering and foraging
Metzer lists Cayugas as unable to fly [2], and rates their mothering as only fair, so some hens will sit on eggs but you should not count on it [2]. They forage well but, as Kentucky Extension puts it, do not cover a large area and prefer to stay close to home [1]. That makes them an easier fit for a garden or pond edge than for a free-range flock that wanders.
What we have not pinned down yet
We have no source we trust for how long Cayugas live, or for what Cayuga ducklings look like: Metzer's and the Livestock Conservancy's pages describe adult birds only, so the lifespan row is blank and we do not describe ducklings. Lifespan figures on keeper blogs rarely cite anything checkable, and we would rather leave the gap than print a guess.