Rosy-billed Pochard

About

A large striking pochard. Males are black-and-grey with an unmistakable bulging bright red bill knob; females are brown. Found in freshwater lakes of southern South America. Common in the Pampas and Patagonia. Often dives to the lake bottom for aquatic plants.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	46.1 cm	18.1 in
Weight	1103.4 g	38.92 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males dark sooty-black with iridescent purple gloss on head; bright rosy-red bill with pink knob. White flanks visible when at rest. Females brown with pale face and gray bill. Bold white wing stripe in flight.

Habitat & Range

Freshwater lakes, marshes, and lagoons in southern South America from central Brazil through Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina to Patagonia. Often on large open lakes. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.

🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in northern prairies; winters on interior wetlands and coasts from the southern US to Central America.

Diet & Feeding

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Incubation: 27-29 days.

Clutch Size

10

Sound

Song

Male gives a deep, burping boom; female produces a loud, grunting quack. The male's resonant booming call during display is among the most powerful calls of South American wildfowl.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Rosy-billed Pochard has been recorded in 8 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Rosy-billed Pochard eat?

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Where does the Rosy-billed Pochard live?

Freshwater lakes, marshes, and lagoons in southern South America from central Brazil through Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina to Patagonia. Often on large open lakes. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.

Is the Rosy-billed Pochard endangered?

The Rosy-billed Pochard has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Rosy-billed Pochard nest?

Incubation: 27-29 days.

What does the Rosy-billed Pochard sound like?

Male gives a deep, burping boom; female produces a loud, grunting quack. The male's resonant booming call during display is among the most powerful calls of South American wildfowl.

How big is the Rosy-billed Pochard?

The Rosy-billed Pochard has a wingspan of 46.1 cm, weight of 1103.4 g.

What order and family does the Rosy-billed Pochard belong to?

The Rosy-billed Pochard (Netta peposaca) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.