Ballysaggart Lough,
Omagh, Northern Ireland
27-02-2022
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus:Aythya
Species:A. nyroca
Binomial name
Aythya nyroca
Facts:
Length (cm):
38-42
Wingspan (cm):
63-67
Weight (gram):
450-700
Size group:
Crow-size
Similar species (image):
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Appearance: Rich rusty brown overall with contrasting white triangular patch under tail; male has pale eye. Also note peaked crown and rather long gray bill. In flight, both sexes show bold white wing stripe. Compare with female Tufted Duck (can have similar white patch under tail). Inhabits lakes and marshes, usually with surrounding reeds. Rather shy and often stays hidden in reeds, but at other times out in open water with flocks of Tufted Duck and Common Pochard.
Shape resembles both diving and dabbling ducks. Characteristic head profile with long bill, long sloping forehead and rather high rear crown (not unlike Pochard). White undertail usually visible also when on the water. Broad, white wing-bars and white underwing conspicous in flight. White undertail separated from white belly by brown band. Male with shining white eyes. Female with brown eye and less bright rufous tones to plumage. Immature similar to female, but with even less rufous. Immatures told from immature Pochard by by darker back, no facial markings and white (not grey) wing-bars. Note that Tufted Duck sometimes have white (but more diffuse) undertail. Beware also of hybrids with Pochard (note bill-pattern).
Sound:
Female call similar to female Tufted Duck's "kerr kerr", but thinner and with a strong, peculiar bi-tone. Male display call mostly consists of various short "chk" sounds.
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Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Aythya ferina | [UK] Pochard | [FR] Fuligule milouin | [DE] Tafelente | [ES] Porrón Euroasiático | [IT] Moriglione eurasiatico | [NL] Tafeleend | [IRL] Póiseard cíordhearg
spanwidth min.: 67 cm
spanwidth max.: 75 cm
size min.: 42 cm
size max.: 49 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 24 days
incubation max.: 28 days
fledging min.: 50 days
fledging max.: 55 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 8
eggs max.: 15
Status: Scarce summer visitor and widespread winter migrant - most occur between October & February.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to its small breeding population, as well as its localised wintering (< ten sites). The European population has been evaluated as Declining due to a moderate ongoing decline.
Identification: Medium sized, males with chestnut head and neck, black breast, grey flanks and black rump. Females duller grey-brown, with chestnut/pale brown breast, pale loral patch, eye ring and line behinde the eye.
Similar Species: Other ducks.
Call: Mostly silent. Males have characteristic wheezing cut off by a nasal short 'aaaooochaa(e)'.
Diet: Diving ducks - Diet consists largely of plant material. Inland, they feed predominantly on the spores and occasionally on the vegetative parts of aquatic plants.
Breeding: Nests on the ground among waterside vegetation.
Wintering: Show a preference for large shallow eutrophic waters, particularly those with well-vegetated marshes and swamps and slow flowing rivers.
Where to see: Loughs Neagh & Beg in County Antrim and Lough Corrib in County Galway support almost 25,000 birds and 12,000 birds respectively. Lough Derravaragh in County Westmeath, Lough Ennell in County Westmeath and Lough Kinale & Derragh Lough in County Longford are other important wintering sites (1,000- 3,000 birds).
Physical characteristics
The pochard is a stocky diving duck, smaller than a mallard. The male is pale grey with a rusty red head and neck, and a black breast and tail. The female is brown with a dark head and blotchy cheeks. In flight, birds show a pale grey wing-stripe.
Habitat
Vegetated swamps, marshes, lakes and slow flowing rivers with areas of open water. In winter, opten on larger lakes, brackish coastal lagoons and tidal estuaries.
Other details
This duck inhabits a major part of temperate Eurasia, from the British Isles to Mongolia. During the last decades it has extended its distribution westwards and south-westwards. It is now breeding regularly in small numbers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain. The birds of the European Union winter partly from Denmark to the British Isles and Bretagne; partly in Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Its is unlikely however that these birds have a different origin. Only for practical reasons they are considered as belonging to distinct populations. The birds wintering in north-western Europe are amounting to 350000 individuals; those of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and Central Europe are estimated at 1000000 individuals (Scott & Rose). A few thousands of individuals of this last population reach sub-Saharan Africa. After an increase in numbers and an extension in distribution, the West European population seems currently to be somewhat declining. The trends of the East European populations, visiting e. g. Greece, are less well known but seem also to indicate some decline. In the western Mediterranean this decline is estimated at 70% during the last 20 years
Feeding
Green part of aquatic plants and grass , leaves, stems, roots and seeds. Occasionally aquatic invertebrates and insects amphibians and small fish. Feeds by diving, upending head-dipping and dabbling also filters mud on shore.
Breeding
Egg-laying begins mainly May, in all areas. Nest is build on ground close to water (usually within 10 m), in thick cover, or in water, built up above surface, in dense reeds and rushes. Nest is build on a platform, with shallow cup of reed stems, leaves, and other vegetation. Clutch size is 8-10, but ranging from 4-22 over 15 probably always 2 females sharing nest. Incubation lasts 24-28 days and the young fledge after 50-55 days.
Migration
Partially migratory; present throughout year in temperate regions (e.g. Central and NW Europe) but northernmost populations winter in Mediterranean basins, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, SW USSR, Indian Subcontinent, SE Asia and Japan. Vagrant to Faeroes, Azores, Canary and Cape Verde Is; also to Philippines, Guam and Hawaii