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Common Pochard

Aythya ferina

Vulnerable

Wingspan

41.7 cm

Weight

845.5 g

Family

Anatidae

Order

Anseriformes

About

A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a rich chestnut-red head, black breast, and pale grey body; females are brown with a pale face. Widely distributed across Eurasia. Population declining sharply; Vulnerable on European Red List.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	41.7 cm	16.4 in
Weight	845.5 g	29.82 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males have chestnut-red head and neck; black breast; pale gray body; black undertail. Red eye. Blue-gray bill with dark base and tip. Females brown with pale face and eye-ring. Gray wing stripe in flight.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes with emergent vegetation across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe east to Siberia. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds across northern and central North America; winters in Mexico, Central America, and along both US coasts.

Diet & Feeding

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 24-28 days. Fledging: 50-55 days.

Clutch Size

3-22

Sound

Song

Male emits a soft, wheezing purr; female gives a harsh, grating quacking series. The male's gentle, sibilant purring contrasts with the female's loud, grating call on European and Asian lakes.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Common Pochard has been recorded in 10 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Common Pochard eat?

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey.

Where does the Common Pochard live?

Breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes with emergent vegetation across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe east to Siberia. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries.

Is the Common Pochard endangered?

The Common Pochard has a conservation status of Vulnerable.

How does the Common Pochard nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 24-28 days. Fledging: 50-55 days.

What does the Common Pochard sound like?

Male emits a soft, wheezing purr; female gives a harsh, grating quacking series. The male's gentle, sibilant purring contrasts with the female's loud, grating call on European and Asian lakes.

How big is the Common Pochard?

The Common Pochard has a wingspan of 41.7 cm, weight of 845.5 g.

What order and family does the Common Pochard belong to?

The Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.