Common Pochard

The Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck, belonging to the family Anatidae. It is a bird of robust build, with a sloping forehead and a relatively long bill. The male is distinguished by its chestnut head and neck, black breast and tail, and pale grey body with fine vermiculations. The female is more subdued in coloration, with a brownish body and a less vibrant head and neck.

Identification Tips

Males can be identified by their striking chestnut head and neck, black breast, and pale grey body. They have a dark grey bill with a blue-grey band and yellow-orange to red irises, which intensify during the breeding season. Females and juveniles are less colorful, with brownish tones and grey legs and feet. The female's iris is brown, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, while juveniles have a yellow-olive iris that darkens with age.

Habitat

The Common Pochard favors marshes and lakes with at least a meter of water depth for breeding. These habitats provide the necessary cover and food resources for the species.

Distribution

This species has a widespread distribution across the Palearctic. It breeds mainly in the steppe regions of Scandinavia and Siberia and winters in the south and west of Europe. In the British Isles, it breeds in eastern England and lowland Scotland, with increasing numbers in Northern Ireland and sporadically in the Republic of Ireland.

Behaviour

Common Pochards are gregarious, forming large flocks in winter, often alongside other diving duck species. They are strong fliers, capable of reaching speeds of 49-54 mph in direct flight.

Song & Calls

The male is generally silent but may emit a soft whistle during courtship. The female produces a soft growl when disturbed, and ducklings have a short contact call, which becomes higher and faster when they are distressed.

Breeding

The female constructs a platform nest of plant material, lined with down, either on the ground near water or over water on a platform. Clutches typically consist of 8-10 greenish-grey eggs, with incubation beginning only after the entire clutch is laid. The species is known for high rates of conspecific brood parasitism.

Similar Species

The male Common Pochard can be confused with the male Canvasback, which has an all-dark bill, or the Redhead, which has a yellow iris and a greyer back.

Diet and Feeding

Common Pochards feed on plant material, seeds, small fish, molluscs, and aquatic invertebrates, obtained by diving or dabbling. They often forage in association with Bewick's and Whooper Swans, benefiting from the swans' sediment-disturbing activities.

Conservation Status

The Common Pochard is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Despite its large range and population, there have been significant declines in several regions, attributed to habitat transformation, urbanization, overhunting, and introduced predators like the American mink. Conservation efforts are complicated by the diversity of languages spoken across its range.