Dutch Hookbills are critically endangered. The rarest duck in the world, with less than two thousand adults worldwide. White is an exceedingly rare color.
The Hookbills are known for their long curved bill, excellent foraging ability and small flighted bodies. In Holland, these ducks were managed in the waterways and canals of the countryside, which naturally selected for curved bills!
By 1980, the Hookbill was nearly extinct, but through a Dutch effort led by Hans van de Zaan, the last 30 birds were collected and used to start a conservation breeding program in the Netherlands. Dave Holderread was the first to import these birds, over twenty years ago.
Here at Paradise Pond, we proudly maintain Holderread's direct line of elite show quality Hookbills. Dave Holderread, a world renowned duck breeder, retired in 2020, but still works closely with us to develop and maintain the population. New colors this year are Snowy, Bibbed, and Golden Aleutian!
Desirable for ornamental birds, they are also great egglayers, of large green eggs.
