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Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
BTO Codes: TU , TUFDU EURING No: 2030
Number in Britain: 7500 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: Monotypic
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Length: 44 cm Wingspan: 70 cm Weight: M/F: 760 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: aithuia=a seabird described by Aristotle and L.: fuligo=soot + gula=throat
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS: south to n Africa & se Asia
Habitat: Marshes, lakes, on migration also rivers, estuaries
Diet: Omnivorous, feeds on mud bottom mostly by diving
TitBit: The rapid expansion of the Tufted Duck in Britain during the late 19th/early 20th century is probably due to the colonisation of Britain by Zebra Mussels (brought into London docks in the 1820s)  
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)   
British Population Size:
    Summer: 7000 to 8000 pairs in 1979-83
    Winter: 90 thousand individuals in 1994-99
    First Record: 1662 [Fossil evidence from Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: Yorkshire (and probably earlier) 1849
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Lakes
    Also common in: Ponds
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 200 to 320 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(II,III), WBD(II*,III*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Wetland Bird Survey Alerts
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 59 x 41 mm Egg Weight: 56.0 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 29
Clutch Size: 8 - 11 eggs
Incubation: 25 days by the: Female
Fledging: 45 - 50 days as: Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 759
Adult Survival: No data Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: 22yr0m
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Biometrics
Ring Size: F*
Wing Length Adult: 204.9 ± 6.4 Range 195 - 214 mm, N =491
Juvenile: 198.7 ± 7.3 187 - 209 mm, N =157
Male: 206.8 ± 5.3 199 - 215 mm, N =349
Female: 200.1 ± 6.5 192 - 208 mm, N =141
Weight Adult: 853.4 ± 142.0 Range 625.0 - 1100 g , N =397
Juvenile: 775.2 ± 107.5 590.0 - 940.0 g , N =107
Male: 887.6 ± 128.6 685.0 - 1100 g , N =284
Female: 768.3 ± 138.5 . 585.0 - 990.0 g , N =112
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Gaelic: Lach-sgumanach Welsh: Hwyaden Gopog
Danish: Troldand Dutch: Kuifeend
Finnish: Tukkasotka French: Fuligule morillon
German: Reiherente Hungarian: Kontyos réce
Icelandic: Skúfönd Irish: Lacha Bhadánach
Italian: Moretta Norwegian: Toppand
Polish: Czernica Portuguese: Zarro-negrinha
Spanish: Porrón mońudo Swedish: Vigg
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press [598.48 KEA]
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
BOU Register of Avian Theses entry
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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