Red-crested Pochard, Krooneend, Kolbenente, Pato-de-bico-vermelho, Pato Colorado
Spotted in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Red-crested Pochard sound
The Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) is a large diving duck.
Their breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes in southern Europe and southern and central Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and northern birds winter further south and into north Africa.
More photos at the bottom of this page.
The adult male is unmistakable. It has a rounded orange head, red bill and black breast. The flanks are white, the back brown, and the tail black. The female is mainly a pale brown, with a darker back and crown and a whitish face.
These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as other pochards. They feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants, and typically upend for food more than most diving ducks.
Red-crested pochards build a nest by the lakeside among vegetation and lay 8-12 pale green eggs. The birds’ status in the British Isles is much confused due to the fact that there have been many escapes and deliberate releases over the years, as well as natural visitors from the continent. However, it is most likely that they are escapees that are now breeding wild and have built up a successful feral population. They are most numerous around areas of England including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. Wild birds occasionally turn up at places such as Abberton Reservoir, Essex.
The Red-crested Pochard is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Other synonyms:
Asturian: Coríu Roxu
Catalan: Becvermell, Sivert, Xibec
Catalan (Balears): Becvermell
Valencian: Sivert
Welsh: Hwyaden bengoch, Hwyaden gribgoch
Danish: Rødhovedet and
German: Kolbenente
English: Red crested duck, Red-crested Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Rufous-crested Duck
Spanish: Pato Colorado, Zambullidor de cresta roja
Estonian: Punanokk-vart
Basque: Ahate gorrizta, Xibec
Finnish: Punapäänarsku
French: Brante roussâtre, Nette rousse
Frisian: Readkopein
Irish: Póiseard Cíordhearg
Galician: Pato rubio, Xibec
Croatian: Patka Gogoljica
Hungarian: Üstökös réce, Üstökösréce
Icelandic: Kólfönd
Italian: Fistione turco, Germano turco
Japanese: Aka-hashi ha-jiro, akahashihajiro, Akahashi-hajiro
Latin: Netta rufina, Rhodonessa rufina
Dutch: Krooneend
Norwegian: Rødhodeand
Portuguese: pato de bico vermelho, Pato-de-bico-vermelho
Romansh: Anda cotschna
Slovak: Hrdzavka potápavá
Slovenian: tatarska žvižgavka
Albanian: Murrcaku
Serbian: plovka prevez, Pochard Preveza,
Swedish: Rödhuvad dykand
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