Pochard Aythya ferina   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
BTO Codes: PO, POCHA EURING No: 1980
Number in Britain: 38 thousand birds (Winter)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 2 Concern, most in Europe; Declining
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: Monotypic
.
Length: 46 cm Wingspan: 77 cm Weight: M/F: 930 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: aithuia=a seabird described by Aristotle and L.: ferinus=wild game
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS south to c Africa, s Asia
Habitat: Lakes & slow rivers on migration also estuaries
Diet: Mostly plant material, also small animals

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: Atlas Maps   
British Population Size:
    Winter: 38 thousand individuals in 2004-09
    First Record: 1544 [Fossil evidence from Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
    Latest Survey: Holling, M. & RBBP 2011 British Birds 104:476-537
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern, Recent Non-breeding Population Decline, Important Non-breeding Population
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern:
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries  and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
    Summer: 100 to 180 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(II,III), WBD(II*,III*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 62 x 44 mm Egg Weight: 66.0 g (of which 9 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 8
Clutch Size: 8 - 10 eggs
Incubation: 25 days   by the: Female
Fledging: 50 - 55days as: Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.650 ± 0.014       
Juvenile Survival: 0.550 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 3 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 22 years 0 months 10 days (set in 1999)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: G*
Wing Length Sexually dimorphic (female much larger than male)
Male: 217.6 ± 6.1     Range 134.0 - 292.0 mm, (N = 436)
Female: 209.6 ± 4.6     Range 134.0 - 228.0 mm, (N = 116)
Weight Sexually dimorphic (female much larger than male)
Male: 1.02 ± 0.10 Range 1.30 - 1460 kg , (N =375)
Female: 946.2 ± 91.28 Range 500.0 - 1500 g , (N =97)
Seasonal: Summer 831.4 ± 76.41 (N = 658)   Autumn 838.3 ± 96.22 (N = 311)   Winter 1.05 ± 0.13 (N = 3314)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Common/Northern Pochard
Gaelic: Lach-dhearg-cheannach Welsh: Hwtaden Bengoch
Danish: Taffeland Dutch: Tafeleend
Finnish: Punasotka French: Fuligule milouin
German: Tafelente Hungarian: Barátréce
Icelandic: Skutulönd Irish: Póiseard
Italian: Moriglione Norwegian: Taffeland
Polish: Glowienka zwyczajna Portuguese: Zarro-comum
Spanish: Porrón común Swedish: Brunand
Local Names:Red-headed/Blue Poker
Collective Noun:Rush

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press [598.48 KEA]
   Cabot, D. 2009 Wildfowl Collins, London
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead