Dutch Hookbill Duckling -Shipped Box

This is a box of twelve Dutch Hookbill ducklings, one day old, assorted colors, straight run. Price includes shipping, heat pad and grow gel. Current shipping estimate is Tuesday, June 4. 

Please contact before ordering, 931-200-7652

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Dutch Hookbills are critically endangered. The rarest duck in the world, with less than two thousand breeding adults worldwide. Desirable for ornamental birds, they are also great egglayers, of large green eggs.

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, world renowned duck breeder and conservationist, was the only person to import these birds, twenty-three years ago.

Here at Paradise Pond, we proudly maintain Holderread's direct line of elite show quality Hookbills. When Dave retired, we took over a large population of his birds and we continue to work directly with him, maintaining his breeding populations and colors. All of our birds are banded and bred in pairs or trios to maintain breed purity. It is this dedicated work that increases the cost of our birds, since birds are routinely tracked, graded, and require individual breeding pens and security.

New colors this year are
Bibbed Snowy: Rare sub-variety of Snowy, displaying a White Bib on chest.
Chestnut Aleutian: Very rare. A darker, richer-colored version of Aleutian.
White-Bibbed Aleutian: Extremely rare. Aleutian color with distinctive White Bib.