Baer's Pochard

About

A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy green-black head, chestnut breast, and white flanks; females are brown. Critically Endangered; one of the fastest declining ducks in Asia. Breeds in eastern Siberia; winters in eastern China and Southeast Asia. Threatened by hunting.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	40.4 cm	15.9 in
Weight	707.25 g	24.95 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males have dark glossy greenish-black head; chestnut breast; white flanks and undertail. White eye. Females brown with chestnut breast and pale face patch. White wing stripe in flight. Critically endangered East Asian species.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on lakes and rivers in boreal forests of eastern Siberia and northeastern China. Winters on freshwater lakes and wetlands in eastern and southeastern Asia. Critically Endangered; tiny remaining population.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters at sea off both US coasts and in the Great Lakes during migration.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey in coastal shallow-water habitats.

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 27 days.

Clutch Size

6-13

Sound

Song

Male gives a low, grating wheeze; female produces a harsh quacking series. Calls resemble Tufted Duck but slightly softer; among the rarest duck calls in East Asia due to its extreme decline.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Aythya
Species	Aythya baeri

Distribution

Baer's Pochard has been recorded in 6 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Baer's Pochard eat?

Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey in coastal shallow-water habitats.

Where does the Baer's Pochard live?

Breeds on lakes and rivers in boreal forests of eastern Siberia and northeastern China. Winters on freshwater lakes and wetlands in eastern and southeastern Asia. Critically Endangered; tiny remaining population.

Is the Baer's Pochard endangered?

The Baer's Pochard has a conservation status of Critically Endangered.

How does the Baer's Pochard nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 27 days.

What does the Baer's Pochard sound like?

Male gives a low, grating wheeze; female produces a harsh quacking series. Calls resemble Tufted Duck but slightly softer; among the rarest duck calls in East Asia due to its extreme decline.

How big is the Baer's Pochard?

The Baer's Pochard has a wingspan of 40.4 cm, weight of 707.25 g.

What order and family does the Baer's Pochard belong to?

The Baer's Pochard (Aythya baeri) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.