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Waterfowl feeding basics
2025-11-15 10:25 Feeding waterfowl   I've added a new page to discuss feeding captvie ducks, geese and swans. This diversity of species requires a diversity of food types and methods of providing it to them. The type of food depends not only on the type of bird and its natural foraging behaviour, but also on factors such as the life stage of the animals and the time of year - and availability in your region of the world. On this page you can find some basic pri...
Basic waterfowl data
2025-11-11 23:40 Overview of waterfowl basics   Today we've added a schematic overview of some basic information that can be practically used when keeping and breeding waterfowl in aviculture. The data was compiled by private breeders Roelof Jan Breman and Jan Harteman in the early 2000's, and have been published on this website in the past - but then vanished for some years. Breman drew on personal experiences and notes from other breeders. Jan Harteman added...
Rare ducks move from Winssen to Wildlands
2025-10-22 14:44 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 Please note, English text below   𝗭𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗵𝘂𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀   Winssen, 22 oktober 2025 | Afgelopen maandag heeft er een bijzondere verhuizing plaatsgevonden van twee unieke eenden. Twee vrouwelijke witvleugelboseenden zijn verhuisd van Harteman Wildfowl Aviaries naar Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen. Witvleugelboseenden zijn kritisch met uitsterven bedreigd, hun populatie in Z...
New Experiment: Podcast episodes
2025-10-21 22:48 Wildfowl Insights A new podcast series on Spotify October 2025 | We have just launched a new experimental podcast: a series of podcast episodes using Artificial Intiligence (AI). This is an experiment to share the passion for waterfowl conservation with a broader audience. The podcast is AI-generated with the input of proper and (semi) scientific sources, which are mentioned in the shownotes of each episode. The podcast uses artificial voices, ...
Aviornis features White-winged duck
2025-10-15 22:11 Two stories of the white-winged duck published in Aviornis magazine October 15th, 2025 | 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤. The first article summarises its natural history and conservation status, history in aviculture, and the current status in public and private collections. The second article is about my personal experience with this ama...
Waterfowl downlisted on Red List
2025-10-10 16:38 Four species of waterfowl downlisted on IUCN Red List   October 10th 2025 | BirdLife International published the 2025 Red List Update*. It reveals a record number of species in decline, but shows how habitat restoration can help even the most threatened species to recover.   The 2025 Red List update includes reassessments of 1,360 bird species and completes the eighth comprehensive assessment of all 11,185 bird species. Overall, 61% of bird s...
Children visit our birds
2025-09-11 13:45 School visit in our garden   September 11th 2025 | Today we received over 30 primary school children, to visit our aviaries and birds. It was much fun to tour them around and answer their genuine questions.   Our aviaries house over twenty species of birds, including species that are threatened with excinction. We participate in several breeding programmes such as EAZA's Endangered Species Programme for white-winged duck, Baer's pochard and M...
Best practise guidelines
2025-08-05 19:52 EAZA's WWD Best Practice Guidelines   Amsterdam, August 5th 2025 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗔𝗭𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!   The white-winged duck (WWD), Asarcornis scutulata, is one of the most threatened duck species in the world. Its population has largely disappeared in the last century and the species is likely to be reclassified as "Critically Endangered" category in the light of the latest field surveys.   The EAZA...
Twenty years since internship Sylvan Heights
2025-05-05 13:30 Twenty years since internship Sylvan Heights     This month marks twenty (20!) years since I did my internship at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl - now better known as Sylvan Heights Bird Park. The bird park was nothing more than plans and dreams at the time, but the breeding farm alone made it worth spending six weeks with Mike, Ali, Brent and the Sylvan Heights family. What a great time I had there and what a lot I learned. I am still so grateful...
Continuation of sharing data in ZIMS.
2025-02-07 21:42 Harteman Wildfowl continues to share data in ZIMS.   February 7th 2025 | Harteman Wildfowl is pleased to announce the continuation of sharing data in ZIMS (Zoological Informational Management Software), the world’s leading zoological recording keeping system, powered by Species360.   As a conservation breeding facility we focus on education and conservation of endangered bird species. Harteman Wildfowl is instrumental in saving one of the wo...
Reverse the Red
2025-01-29 22:02 Reverse the Red...   ...is a global movement that ignites strategic cooperation and action to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems and reverse the negative trend of biodiversity loss. Through a strategic initiative, Reverse the Red brings together a diverse coalition of leading scientists, advocates, and partners committed to using a data-driven and science-based approach to assess, plan, and act for species conservation.  Reverse...
World Waterfowl Day!
2025-01-17 21:27 Happy World Waterfowl Day!   Today is #WorldWaterfowlDay!   Today is the time to promote the beauty and importance of waterfowl and their habitat. Yesterday, I was teaching about ducks, geese and swans at my kids' primary school.   Because ”If children don't grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it. And if they don't understand it, they won't protect it. And if they don't protect it, who will?” - David A...
IWWA 2025 Conference
2025-01-01 23:51 IWWA 2025 Conference   International Wild Waterfowl Association, 2025 Conference November 3rd-7th, 2025 Texas & Louisiana, USA   Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming 2025 conference, taking place in Texas and Louisiana November 2025! Dates: Monday, November 3rd – Friday, November 7th, 2025 Tentative plans include: Fort Worth Zoo Fort Worth Botanical Garden Dallas World Aquarium Pinola Conservancy Aviary …and more!   More detai...
World Waterfowl Day
2024-12-20 23:43 World Waterfowl Day We invite you to join in celebrating the inaugural World Waterfowl Day on 17th January, 2025, an event which we hope will grow and gain international support each year. The day is being established to draw attention to waterfowl and their wetland habitat, and to foster greater public appreciation for these fascinating birds.     World Waterfowl Day Mission: 1. Increase public awareness, knowledge and interest in all sp...
White-winged duck on verge of extinction
2024-11-04 21:47 White-winged duck upgraded to Critically Endangered.   November 4th 2024 | The white-winged duck, Asarcornis scutulata, has most recently been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2024 and has been upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered.   This iconic duck of South-East Asia's wetlands is on the verge of extinction. A combination of threats including habitat loss, disturbance and hunting have caused a collapse of...
Baer's pochard in the picture
2024-10-14 13:41 Our Baer's pochard covers the latest Aviornis magazine.   October 14th 2024 | Previously considered Vulnerable, then (2008) Endangered and more recently uplisted to highest threat category, Critically endangered, while a single species action plan has been prepared as a result. Population most recently estimated by BirdLife International at just 150–700 mature individuals and considered to be still declining.  In aviculture numbers are uncerta...
How we keep track of data
2024-08-10 20:03 Sharing data to serve science   August 10th 2024 | Did you know 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗼𝘄𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀? 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 Species360, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀. That information is recorded in the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), no...
Welcome to Singapore!
2023-10-17 19:59 White-winged duck transfer to Singapore   October 17th 2023 | Earlier this year one of our white-winged ducks moved to Parc Animalier et Botanique de Branfere (France) in preparation for a major transport of waterfowl to Singapore. More recently our duck was transported to the Mandai Wildlife Group in Singapore and arrived safe and sound. We are proud to participate in EAZA's Ex-situ Programmes, able to exchange endangered specimens in favor o...
IUCN on the conservation role of zoos
2023-10-10 22:50 IUCN Commission Statement on the role of botanic gardens, aquariums, and zoos in species conservation   The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) recognises that botanic gardens, aquariums and zoos are not the only types of institutions that manage animals, fungi and plants ex situ. However, while botanic gardens, aquariums and zoos can, and do, contribute significantly to species conservation, this role is often under-valued, underrecognised ...
Madagascar teal in the picture
2022-02-05 13:36 Our Madagascar teal covers the latest Aviornis magazine.   February 5th 2022 | The conservation status of the Madagascar teal is endangered, yet little is known about its actual population. The species seems never to have been numerous and was virtually unknown until 1970s, despite being apparently being widespread across entire island based on subfossil deposits.  In aviculture numbers are uncertain for private collections; in zoological coll...
Joining Species360
2022-02-03 16:30 Conservation breeding facility and EEP participant joins Species360.   February 3rd 2022 | Harteman Wildfowl now joins Species360 as a new institutional member.  As a conservation breeding facility we focus on education and conservation of endangered bird species. Harteman Wildfowl is, in this way, instrumental in saving one of the world’s most endangered birds, the White-winged duck, and is active in EAZA’s Ex situ Programs (EEP). The facility...
Approved by EEP Committee
2022-01-19 19:16 Approved EEP participant white-winged duck   January 19th 2022 | I am grateful and proud to announce that EAZA's EEP Committee approved Harteman Wildfowl Aviaries to officially join the white-winged duck Ex-situ Programme as a non-EAZA member. The hashtag EEP Committee is convinced that our cooperation within the framework of the white‐winged duck EEP is necessary for the management of the ex-situ population in EAZA. As a member of the white-w...