Hook Bill Duck – Photo By Paul-Erwin Oswald, CC BY 3.0
With an elongated, downward-curved bill, it’s easy to see where this duck got its name. Aside from its unique appearance, the Hook Bill is also noteworthy for its ancient lineage and current rarity in the US and Europe. But it’s a duck worth getting to know, with strong egg-laying capacity, a funny walk, and a friendly personality.
Hook Bill Duck Origins and Uses
Written history regarding the Hook Bill Duck goes back to the 1700s, although the records do have gaps. While nobody knows for sure, the Hook Bill might have originated in East Asia, possibly around India.
The Hook Bill first became domesticated in a Netherland province called Noord-Holland. Domestication occurred in the 17th and 18th Centuries, making this species the oldest European Domestic Waterfowl breed in existence.
Historical and Modern Uses
Early domesticated Hook Bills were primarily kept for egg production. They have medium laying productivity and can produce between 100 and 225 white, blue, or blue-ish green eggs each year.
Today, they’re still mainly raised as pets or for single-farm egg production. They’re also a popular exhibition bird due to their unique look and relative novelty in the US and Europe, where the number of breeding birds ranges between 250 and 400.
Meat
Hookbill ducks are seldomly, if ever, bred for meat. They’re too rare, expensive, and small to make butchering worthwhile. They’re also not bred for large-scale egg production because their egg output is relatively low compared to Pekin ducks, the main breed used for commercial purposes.
Physical Characteristics of Hook Bill Ducks
Their most obvious physical characteristic is their unique bill, which curves downward. No other breed has a bill with this shape. It’s believed early breeders selected this trait to help them identify their domesticated birds from wild ducks, as both types typically fed in the same areas.
Aside from the Hook Bill’s unique bill, the breed looks remarkably similar to Mallards, especially from a distance. They have a medium-sized body that often makes them look heavy, but they’re usually fairly light for their size.
- Drakes average between four to five pounds
- Ducks average between two to three pounds
Color Schemes
They mainly have three general color schemes:
- Dusty – Also called dusky or dark, this color pattern features lots of dark browns and gray-browns
- White-Bibbed – This lighter color pattern features white on the chest and primary features
- White – This scheme is solid white
Unfortunately, because the Hook Bill is endangered, many color schemes likely no longer exist. Many experts believe Hook Bills used to have black, blue, grey, and white with black colors. Many breeders today attempt to increase color diversity by introducing new bloodlines from different countries.
Male vs. Female
As with all duck breeds, it’s nearly impossible to identify males and females until maturity. Adult males are typically larger than females. However, males have a softer and smaller quack compared to females.
Both male and female Hook Bills have the same bill shape.
Comparison to Other Duck Breeds
In terms of diet, health needs, and general behavior, Hook Bill ducks aren’t significantly different from more common breeds, such as the Pekin. However, they do differ from all other breeds in two important ways.
First, they’re the only duck with a downward-facing bill. Also, they’re extremely rare. Less than 500 exist in the US, and their numbers are similar in the UK, Netherlands, and other countries where Hook Bills are kept.
Do Hook Bill Ducks Fly?
Yes. Most are skilled fliers, especially when they’re younger. Their ability to fly does pose problems when keeping them in captivity, as they’ll likely escape any uncovered area. Their wings need clipping if you want to keep them as pets.
Hook Bill Duck Lifespan
Hook Bill ducks often have short to medium-length lifespans. Most live between four and eight years. However, some Hook Bills, especially those kept as pets, can live for about 12 years.
Health Concerns and Risk Factors
Their unique bill shapes pose no special health concerns. Generally, Hook Bills ducks have strong resistance to many diseases. However, they do face the same general risks as any other duck breed, including avian cholera, duck virus enteritis, and hepatitis.
Another risk factor for this breed is their ability to fly. Without proper clipping, they’ll easily escape any enclosure, which increases their risk of getting attacked by predators or otherwise injured.
Hook Bill Duck Diet
The duck’s curved bill doesn’t affect its ability to eat or drink, so its diet is generally the same as other breeds. It’s an omnivore, so it will eat both animals and plants.
They’re efficient foragers who will feed on practically anything, including slugs, insects, snails, and aquatic crustaceans. Hook Bill owners should also supplement the animal’s diet with either duck or poultry feed.
Hook Bills ducks aren’t a large breed. They usually only need about five to six ounces of feed per day if kept as pets. If used for egg production or meat, their daily intake can increase to six or seven ounces daily.
Hook Bill Duck Breeding and Egg Production
Hook Bills ducks don’t form a lifelong bond with a mating partner. Instead, males and females pair up for a single breeding season. Each breeding season typically starts in February and ends around late spring or early summer.
When attempting to breed Hook Bills, you’ll want to keep only one male and two to four females. This allows the male to mate with each of the females to help ensure as many offspring as possible.
Egg Production
Females are considered good egg layers. They average between 100 to 120 eggs annually, although some ducks can produce around 200, as long as the duck isn’t heavily inbred.
After laying anywhere from five to eight eggs, the Hook Bill will sit on them. The eggs are large, with an average weight of 60 kg. They’re often blue or bluish-green, but some eggs are also white or blue-white.
Unlike many popular breeds, Hook Bills are natural brooders. Hatching is more likely to occur with brooding instead of incubation. Ducklings take between 26 to 28 days to hatch.
Hook Bill Duck Behavior
Hook Bills are friendly, docile ducks. They’re independent and don’t always show interest in people, but they’re also rarely aggressive. Because of their peaceful nature, they’re usually easy to handle. Plus, they typically stay away from other animals on the farm and will never provoke fights.
Hook Bill ducks have a noticeable walk. Unlike Mallards, which have legs set squarely underneath their bodies, the Hook Bill’s legs are slightly offset. They tilt somewhat as they walk, in a way that’s often described as cartoon-like and humorous.
Keeping Hook Bill Ducks as Pets
Hook Bills are considered great pets. While independent, they’re also docile and friendly. When raised from birth, they can develop a strong affinity for their owners and often have no problem getting handled.
While all ducks honk, the Hook Bills is relatively quiet compared to many popular breeds. They’ll likely honk to protect their territory or if they feel threatened. However, they typically don’t honk excessively throughout the day.
Like most other breeds, Hook Bills have no strong or unpleasant odor.
Tips on Hook Bill Duck Care
The two keys to keeping your Hook Bill ducks healthy is providing a constant supply of fresh water along with maintaining a secure shelter.
Hook bills require a minimum of one liter of drinking water available for at least eight to 10 hours each day. Additionally, they need a bucket or similar source of fresh water. Because Hook Bills don’t have tear ducts, they need to dunk their face into water to keep their eyes moisturized.
While official space requirements specifically for Hook Bills don’t exist, following the standard recommendations for a domesticated duck is perfectly fine. An adult Hook Bill needs at least three square feet of space, although 10 feet or more is ideal.
Hook Bill Duck Cost
Hook bills are endangered, so they’re difficult to find for sale compared to many other breeds. Most are sold by private breeders who tend to emphasize quality over quantity. Prices will vary based on breeders. Generally, they range between $25 and $50 per bird.
Many Hook Bills are bred for exhibition, which can affect prices. For example, show-winning birds, or their descendants, often list for higher prices than breeds with a more common pedigree.
Additionally, breeders rarely ship live birds. With commercial ducks or eggs, a certain number of losses during shipping are typically acceptable, but Hook Bill breeders typically won’t take the same risks.
Anyone unable to buy adult birds in-person will likely need to order hatching eggs. As with live birds, prices vary, but eggs usually cost around $30 per one dozen.
Food and Care Costs
Care costs are in line with more popular feeds. Feed typically runs around $100 annually, depending on the specific brand bought.
Vet care mainly consists of routine check-ups and vaccination. Due to the rarity of the breed, owners might want to schedule check-ups twice a year, to ensure their pets stay healthy.
Noteworthy Facts about the Hook Bill Duck
Charles Darwin was a big fan of the ducks. He described them in several books. Plus, he even kept a few as pets, where they stayed in a pond in his backyard.
Unfortunately, Hook Bills are on endangered or threatened lists in all countries where they live. Although many dedicated breeders are attempting to increase their numbers, the Hook Bill’s relatively small size and low egg production mean the breed isn’t viable for commercial egg or meat production.
Info Table
| Purpose | Pets, Exhibition, Eggs |
| Country of origin | Possibly Asia, but domesticated in the Netherlands |
| Breed Class | Light |
| Weight – Drake | 4.4 to 5 pounds |
| Weight – Hen | 3.5 to 4 pounds |
| Eggs per year | 100 to 200 |
| Egg size | Large |
| Egg weight | 60 grams |
| Egg production age | Approximately 4 to 7 months |
| Diet | Insects, crustaceans, plants, poultry and duck feed |
| Lifespan | 4 to 8 years |
| Flying ability | Yes, especially when younger |
| Personality | Docile, friendly |
| Distinguishing features | Downward-curved bill, off-kilter walk |
| Varieties | None |
| Cost (USD) | Approximately $25 to $50 per adult |