Pochard (Aythya ferina).
November 13, 2011 in Biopedia, Birds by PaulS
In winter and spring, male pochards are very distinctive. They have a bright reddish-brown head, a black breast and tail and a pale grey body. Females are more easily confused with other species; they are brown with a greyish body and pale cheeks. However, during the ‘eclipse’ – when ducks grow new feathers – the males look very similar to the females. They become more camouflaged so that they don’t draw the attention of predators.
Pochards are most common in the UK during autumn and winter, when large numbers fly from eastern Europe and Russia to escape the bitterly cold weather there. They’re quite rare breeding birds in this country.
Can turn up on any body of water within the valley, sometimes in large numbers.
Male.
Female
