The Hook Bill duck was a mystery to me when it
first seemed to ‘appear’ in
Britain
about 10 - 15 years ago. In fact, the older specialist ducks breeders
knew it well but the breed had ‘lapsed’, both here and on the
continent. That did not seem surprising. This really is a peculiar
looking duck. Not only does it literally have a hooked bill which forms
part of a curve around the whole of the top of the head, but its legs
are not set as squarely as in the mallard. This gives the Hook Bill a
characteristic funny walk. However, having acquired some of these birds
to really see what they are like, we are now really hooked on them. And
it’s not only ourselves. Once you have got these birds, they tend to
stay. Placid, docile, gentle and friendly, they are beautiful ducks with
real character. Not many people want to buy them, because of their odd
looks, but we breed just a few each year because they are such lovely
characters. See the full article in the January 2006 edition of Smallholder magazine
By
gum . . . these worms are tough!
Hook Bills are tamer than most ducks . . . are these
ducks crossed with Steinbacher
geese?