Pochard

Aythya ferina

Diving beneath the surface with grace, this rusty-red headed duck thrives in freshwater lakes and wetlands across Europe and Asia.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Pochard is a medium-sized diving duck with a distinctive rounded head and sloping forehead. Males in breeding plumage have a striking rusty-red head, black breast, and pale grey body. Their back is finely vermiculated grey, creating a subtle, elegant pattern.

The drake’s winter plumage is bold and striking with a pale grey body, darker grey upperwing coverts and paler grey flight feathers. In eclipse plumage, males are similar to females but have greyer bodies, darker breasts and a plain face.

Females are more subdued, with a brown head and body and slightly paler cheeks. Both sexes have a grey bill with a black tip and grey legs. In flight, both show a pale grey wing stripe.

Size

Length

42cm to 49cm

Wingspan

67cm to 75cm

Weight

690g to 1.2kg

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Red Grey Brown

Secondary Colour

Black White

Beak Colour

Grey Black

Leg Colour

Grey

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown

Secondary Colour (Female)

Grey

Beak Colour (Female)

Grey

Leg Colour (Female)

Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Pochard is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Pochard is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Pochard can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Pochard is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Pochard is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Pochard is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Pochard is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Pochard is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Pochard is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Pochard is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Pochard is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Pochard is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Pochards inhabit a variety of freshwater habitats, including lakes, reservoirs, and slow-flowing rivers with abundant aquatic vegetation. They breed across Europe and Asia, from Britain to eastern Siberia.

In winter, many birds migrate south to the Mediterranean, North Africa, and southern Asia. In the UK, they are year-round residents, with numbers boosted by winter visitors from northern Europe.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,690 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Pochard. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons