Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Common Pochard
Link copied.
Aythya ferina
Link copied.
Voice
Call
Alarm
Call
How to recognize it
-
Body length 42–49 cm
-
Breeding male: chestnut-red head and neck, black breast and tail
-
Female: brownish-grey plumage, dark head, pale throat and rusty sides
-
Bill with a blue-grey band across the middle; rides low on the water, tail lowered, often dives
About the species
On a male, a chestnut head and neck rise above a black breast, set against a pale grey body finely marked with darker ripples. His bill has a broad blue-grey band, and his eye is yellow-orange to red. The female is more muted, brownish grey with a darker head and lighter patches around the throat and bill.
It spends much of its time on the water, diving for food or tipping forward to dabble, and feeds mostly at night. The male is usually quiet, though he may give a soft whistle in courtship; a flushed female gives a low, rough "krrr." In winter, flocks gather and often mix with other diving ducks.
It breeds around lakes, marshes and quiet lowland rivers with open water and reed cover. Its food ranges from seeds and other plant matter to small fish, molluscs and aquatic invertebrates. Northern and eastern populations move south and west for winter, while some in western and southern Europe remain year-round.
Where to find
-
At large lakes with broad stretches of open water, look for the Common Pochard diving for food.
-
In winter, scan reservoirs and river floodwaters for large flocks, often mixed with other diving ducks.
-
During the breeding season, listen at marshes edged with waterside vegetation for males' soft whistles during courtship displays.
