Hook Bill Duck

Facts about hook bill Ducks. The Hook Bill Duck was imported into North America a man known as David Holder read in the year 2000. However, the Hook Bill Duck has not yet been permitted to the American Standard of perfection. The Hook Bill Duck was first taken in to the British Waterfowl Standards in the year of 1997. The Hook Bill duck is commonly known as the Dutch Hook bill in some parts of America, Olandese Bec Courbe in France, Noord Hollandse Krombekeend in Holland and 'Krummschnabelenten' in Germany. The hook bill Duck has various varieties of coloration including the Bibbed Dusky Blue, Dusky Blue and the Dirty White variety which can be found in Holland and Germany.

Hook Bill Ducks history dates back 400 hundred years ago and was even described by Even Charles Darwin in his books in addition to keeping the Hook Bill Duck in his backyard pond. The Hook bill ducks are the oldest domestic waterfowl breed species in Europe due to its history of over four hundred years. The Hook Bill Duck has an outstretched bill which curves downwards at the end. The feature usually makes that duck to appear quiet different from the rest of the domestic duck breed species. The Hook Bill duck is drastically underestimated in the poultry industry and for some reason, they are not very common. The Hook Bill Duck is a great layer and it usually lays blue colored eggs. The Hook Bill Duck tames easily and are inquisitive and quiet compared to other breeds species.

White-bibbed Hook Bill was earlier bred to help hunters differentiate the duck from wild Mallards for which they would shoot when hunting. The Hook bill duck has been further developed and kept extensively in Holland on the canals. The Hook Bill Duck species has been bred by letting it out to feed to come back home at night after which it is closed indoors for the night.

Features about Hook Bill Duck egg

A Hook Bill Duck egg has twice the nutritional value than a chicken egg and will stay fresh longer because of their thicker shell.
Hook Bill Duck eggs are richer with more Albumen "the white of an egg" making pastries and cakes richer and fluffier. A Hook Bill Duck Egg has more Omega 3 fatty acids than a chicken egg. Omega 3 is thought to improve skin health, memory and Brain health. Hook Bill Duck Eggs are an Alkaline producing food and a Chicken egg is an acid food and leaves your body more acid. Hook Bill Duck eggs are high in Cholesterol. Duck eggs have 6 times the Vitamin D and 2 times the Vitamin A than a chicken egg. Hook Bill Duck eggs have 2 times the cholesterol than a chicken egg.

Scientific name for hook bill Duck "Anas Platyrhynchos" meaning - Wild dabbling duck from which domestic ducks are descended; widely distributed. From New Latin "anas" meaning (Duck) and the word Platyrhynchos comes from "platyrrhine", Ancient Greek meaning (broad snouted, flat-bridged nose).
Hook Bill Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Ducks of all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Hook Bill Ducks are also called "waterfowls" they are generally found in places were there is water, such as ponds, rivers, streams, lakes and occasionally your back yard pool. The definition of Anatidaephobia is irrational fear that you are being watched by a duck.

A male adult Hook Bill Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Hook Bill Duck is called a (hen). A young baby duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling. The male Hook Bill Ducks (drakes) are the brighter colored ducks while the female (hen) are usually a plain colored for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests.

The Hook Bill Ducks are related to geese and swans and the duck is the smallest of these birds with shorter wings and neck and a stocky body. Hook Bill Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed. Hook Bill Ducks are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin.

The Hook Bill Duck is a Precocial (meaning) Born or hatched with the eyes open, a covering of hair or down, capable of a high degree of independent activity from birth and able to leave the nest just a few hours after hatching.

Hook Bill Ducks Water-proof feathers

A special feature that the Hook Bill Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the duck dives underwater, its downy under-layer of feathers will stay totally 100% dry. There is a special gland called the "Preen Gland" also called Oil Gland or Uropygial, that produces oil that is near the Hook Bill Ducks tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Hook Bill Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof.

Appearance about the Hook Bill Duck

A "bill" is what is call a Hook Bill Ducks mouth. There are no teeth in the ducks bill, they have rows of thin bristles, which helps them to filter pieces of nutrition out of the water. Hook Bill Ducks swallow there food whole and it goes to an organ called a gizzard, were the food is first ground up and than moves on to the stomach. The different bill shapes and sizes for finding food, has over time mutated to fit each environment. The Hook Bill Ducks bill is flat and broad and has rows of fine incision along the outer edge called "lamellae". meaning a thin membrane, plate, scale or layer, as of cell wall or bone tissue. The larnellae helps the Hook Bill Duck to clutch food for feeding.

Underneath the water-proof coat are downy soft fluffy feathers which keep the ducks body warm. Hook Bill Ducks keep clean by being able to turn their heads completely backwards, and put their beaks into their feathers by preening themselves.

Features about the Hook Bill Ducks Feet

Hook Bill Ducks have webbed feet, that makes them act like paddles, designed for swimming. They push their webbed paddle feet back in a kicking motion, this allows them to move swift through the water and when the feet come back, they will close for less water resistance. The Hook Bill Ducks paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Hook Bill Duck waddle instead of walk. The Hook Bill Ducks feet have capillaries which help blood flow to their feet. The warm blood flow down the leg and creates a heat exchange system. When the blood flows down the leg, it meets the cold blood and is warmed up to keep the Hook Bill Ducks feet warm. Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

Hook Bill Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Hook Bill Ducks have three eyelids the third eyelid called nictitating membrane. They have a top and bottom as well as a third eyelid that is found on the side of the eye. The Hook Bill Duck eyelid blinking acts as a windshield wiper to clear the eye. This helps to see when diving under water can also help the eye from drying out while flying. This is an act of constantly cleaning and keeping the eye moist.

Ducks fly will fly in a “V” shape to makes flying easier.
Ducks will lay more eggs, when there is more daylight, that's why farmers will keep the lights on in the ducks house for longer periods of time.

In the wild the male Hook Bill Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female Hook Bill Duck lays 5 to 8 eggs, she will start to sit on her eggs to keep them warm so that they can hatch into baby ducklings. The eggs will hatch on average within 26 to 28 days. Baby Hook Bill ducklings are able to fly within 5 to 8 weeks