Aythya ferina
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.
Length
42cm to 49cm
Wingspan
67cm to 75cm
Weight
690g to 1.2kg
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
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.
Up to 2,690 meters
Temperate, Subarctic
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:
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