Red-crested Pochard

Netta rufina

This colourful and instantly recognisable diving duck turns heads with its striking red bill and crest, a standout feature in wetlands across Europe and Asia.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Red-crested Pochard is a striking diving duck, with males displaying a vibrant red bill and head, contrasting with a black breast and brown body. Their distinctive rounded, orange-red crest is often raised, enhancing their unique profile.

Females are more subdued in colouration, featuring a uniform brown plumage with pale cheeks and throat. Both sexes have a noticeable white wing patch visible in flight, and juveniles resemble females but with duller plumage.

After breeding, males go into an eclipse plumage, where their plumage becomes less vibrant, similar to females. They do keep their red bill, which is a useful way of telling the sexes apart.

Size

Length

53cm to 57cm

Wingspan

85cm to 100cm

Weight

900g to 1.4kg

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Red Brown

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Red

Leg Colour

Orange

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown

Secondary Colour (Female)

White Grey

Beak Colour (Female)

Brown

Leg Colour (Female)

Brown

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Red-crested Pochard can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Red-crested Pochard is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Red-crested Pochards inhabit freshwater lakes, slow-flowing rivers, and coastal lagoons with abundant submerged vegetation. Their range extends across Eurasia, from Spain to Central Asia, with significant populations in countries like Spain, Romania, and Russia.

In winter, many birds migrate to southern Europe, North Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. In the UK, they are mainly winter visitors, with small breeding populations in southeast England.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Mediterranean

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Red-crested 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