Red-crested Pochard

The Red-crested Pochard, Netta rufina, is a striking large diving duck. Its name is drawn from the Greek word for duck, 'Netta', and the Latin 'rufina', meaning 'golden-red', a nod to the male's vibrant plumage.

Identification Tips

Males are resplendent with a rounded orange head, a red bill, and a contrasting black breast. Their sides are a crisp white, with a brown back and a black tail. Females, on the other hand, are clad in more subdued tones, primarily pale brown with a darker back and crown, and a whitish face. During eclipse, males resemble females but retain their red bills.

Habitat

These ducks favor lowland marshes and lakes, thriving in the wetland habitats of southern Europe.

Distribution

The Red-crested Pochard breeds from the steppe and semi-desert regions near the Black Sea to Central Asia and Mongolia. It is a somewhat migratory species, with northern populations wintering in the Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

Behaviour

Gregarious by nature, Red-crested Pochards form large flocks in the winter, often mingling with other diving ducks such as the Common Pochard. They are known to both dive and dabble for their food.

Song & Calls

The male emits a distinctive wheezing 'veht', while the female can be heard making a series of hoarse 'vrah-vrah-vrah' calls.

Breeding

Nests are constructed lakeside amidst vegetation, where they lay clutches of 8–12 pale green eggs.

Similar Species

While unique in appearance, the male Red-crested Pochard can be confused with other pochards during eclipse plumage, but the red bill is a distinguishing feature.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet consists mainly of aquatic plants. These ducks are adept at upending in the water, a method they use more frequently than most diving ducks to forage for food.

Conservation status

The Red-crested Pochard is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, and it is also a species protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).