Duchesses and Other Animals begins with a fashionable man in a greenhouse and turns into one of Red Dead Redemption 2's longest collectible jobs. Algernon Wasp wants rare orchids, bird plumes, and alligator eggs for his clients. Arthur gets five shopping lists and a tour of nearly every wet, muddy corner of Lemoyne.
The quest is much easier when the bird parts are collected before Algernon asks for them. Orchids grow in fixed places and can be found again with a map. Egrets, herons, and spoonbills depend on time, weather, and the game's wildlife spawns, so leaving every plume until Chapter 4 creates the worst version of the grind.
How to Start Duchesses and Other Animals
Finish The Gilded Cage during Chapter 4, then visit Algernon's greenhouse north of Saint Denis. It sits behind the large blue building near the northern edge of the city. Speak with him inside and he gives Arthur the first Exotic Collector's List.
The active list can be checked in the satchel under Documents and Notes. Return to Algernon after completing each request; he pays Arthur and hands over the next list. The five requests must be finished in order, even when Arthur already owns items needed later.
- Collect early: Egret, heron, and spoonbill plumes stay in the satchel and never spoil. Skin these birds whenever they appear during Chapters 2 and 3.
- Keep all gator eggs: Each nest holds several eggs, and 25 are needed for the third request.
- Expect an orchid limit: The game may stop some orchid types one short of the required total until their request becomes active. That is normal, not a broken spawn.
The Best Bird-Farming Route
The western side of Bayou Nwa is the most useful hunting area. Search the shallow water and islands west of Lagras, around the O in Lemoyne on the map, and along the railway between Rhodes and Saint Denis. Arrive in daylight, preferably late morning or noon, and use binoculars before the birds take off.
A perfect carcass is not required for a plume. One skinned bird gives one plume even if the body was damaged, so use a reliable weapon and Dead Eye to drop several birds before the flock escapes. Mark birds that are standing on dry ground first; a kill in deep swamp water can be impossible to reach safely.
- Egrets: Little, Reddish, and Snowy Egrets share the same Bayou Nwa habitat. Check every white or reddish bird because the first request needs five plumes from each species.
- Herons: Great Blue and Tricolored Herons both provide the Heron Plume used by the second request. They become common around the same islands later in the day.
- Roseate Spoonbills: The pink birds gather around Lagras and the western bayou near noon. Skin every one you see because the fourth request needs 30 plumes.
After clearing the area, skin every bird, ride far enough away for the wildlife to reset, and sleep until the next day. A practical loop is Bayou Nwa to Rhodes, then Emerald Station, camp, and return. If dead birds remain all over the spawn area, wait another day so the carcasses disappear.
Request 1: Egrets and Lady of the Night Orchids
- 5 Little Egret Plumes: Hunt the western Bayou Nwa islands during daylight and check each egret before shooting.
- 5 Reddish Egret Plumes: Use the same route. These can be the last species to appear when the other egret totals are already complete.
- 5 Snowy Egret Plumes: Look for smaller white egrets standing in shallow water or flying low over the swamp.
- 15 Lady of the Night Orchids: Search trees along the southern edge of Bayou Nwa, north of the Kamassa River, and around the upper side of Caliga Hall.
Lady of the Night Orchids grow from tree trunks rather than the ground. Eagle Eye surrounds the plant with blue particles, which remain visible through brush. Move slowly between the trees and look at both sides of each trunk before leaving the marked area.
Return the complete list to Algernon for $110. Keep any heron or spoonbill plumes collected during the egret hunt. They are required later and saving them now can remove hours from Requests 2 and 4.
Request 2: Herons, Lady Slippers, and Moccasins
- 20 Heron Plumes: Hunt Great Blue and Tricolored Herons in the same western Bayou Nwa route used for egrets.
- 7 Lady Slipper Orchids: Search the ground in Big Valley, especially north and south of the B on the map and through the woods toward Little Creek River.
- 10 Moccasin Flower Orchids: Look on the ground throughout Roanoke Ridge, north of Elysian Pool and along the wooded slopes west of Annesburg.
Both orchids in this request grow on the ground. Use Eagle Eye from horseback, watch for the blue glow, then dismount when the plant name appears. Big Valley has fewer visual obstacles, while Roanoke Ridge is easier during the day because steep ground and thick trees can hide the next flower.
Algernon pays $125 for the second list. Before leaving Saint Denis, check the satchel for gator eggs and the three orchid types on the next request. Most of them sit in the same swamp Arthur has already crossed several times.
Request 3: Gator Eggs and Bayou Orchids
- 25 Gator Eggs: Search nests beside the water in Bayou Nwa and around the wetlands near Shady Belle. One nest usually contains several eggs.
- 3 Acuna's Star Orchids: Look on trees in the eastern and southern parts of Bayou Nwa.
- 7 Cigar Orchids: Search tree trunks through Bluewater Marsh and the northern bayou.
- 5 Ghost Orchids: Check trees in the swampy ground east of Shady Belle and toward Caliga Hall.
Gator nests glow gold in Eagle Eye and usually sit close to an adult alligator. Scan the water and bank before stepping into the nest. Arthur can take the eggs without killing every nearby animal, but a rifle and a clear escape route are useful when the parent is facing the wrong direction.
All three orchids grow on trees. Collect them during one clockwise ride through Bluewater Marsh, Bayou Nwa, and the ground east of Shady Belle. Return the list for $150.
Request 4: Spoonbills and Three More Orchids
- 30 Spoonbill Plumes: Hunt Roseate Spoonbills around Lagras and the western Bayou Nwa islands near noon.
- 10 Rat Tail Orchids: Search trees throughout Bayou Nwa, especially between Lagras and the Kamassa River.
- 5 Spider's Orchids: Look on tree trunks in the western bayou and around the swamp islands.
- 5 Night Scented Orchids: Search trees south of Braithwaite Manor and along the northern side of the Kamassa River.
Thirty spoonbills make this the longest single bird requirement. Players who ignored them during the earlier lists may need several in-game days. Visit the bayou at noon, collect every reachable carcass, leave the region, sleep, and return. Riding in circles without allowing the area to reset rarely helps.
The orchid route is shorter. Rat Tail and Spider's Orchids are both in Bayou Nwa, while Night Scented Orchids sit farther south near Braithwaite land. Algernon pays $175 after the fourth delivery.
Request 5: The Final Four Orchids
- 5 Clamshell Orchids: Search tree trunks east of Caliga Hall and through the lower Bayou Nwa wetlands.
- 5 Queen's Orchids: Look on the ground near Lagras and the swamp islands to the west.
- 10 Sparrow's Egg Orchids: Travel to northern Roanoke Ridge and search the ground through the woods above Annesburg.
- 5 Dragon's Mouth Orchids: Search the ground in Grizzlies East, including the high country around O'Creagh's Run and toward the northern roads.
The final request has no bird farming, but it covers the widest area. Collect Clamshell and Queen's Orchids around Lemoyne first, ride north through Roanoke Ridge for Sparrow's Egg Orchids, then finish in Grizzlies East. Warm clothing makes the mountain search less irritating.
Return to Algernon for $200, the Exotic Hat, and Algernon's Revolver. The revolver is a unique Double-Action Revolver with an engraved design and pearl grip. The five cash payments total $760.
What Counts Toward 100 Percent
The Total Completion menu requires every Exotics task. Starting the stranger mission or finishing one list does not clear the category. Arthur or John must deliver all five requests and complete the final conversation with Algernon.
Nothing in the quest requires perfect birds, and the orchids do not spoil. The only real pressure comes from wildlife spawns and the number of repeated trips. Keep every useful plume and gator egg found before Chapter 4, use Eagle Eye for the fixed plants, and finish one regional route at a time. The job is still long, but it stops feeling random.
