Ferruginous Duck, Witoogeend, Moorente, Zarro-castanho, Porrón Pardo
Spotted in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Ferruginous Duck sound
The Ferruginous Duck, also Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca) is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurasia. The species is known colloquially by birders as “Fudge Duck”.
Their breeding habitat is marshes and lakes with a metre or more water depth. These ducks breed in southern and eastern Europe and southern and western Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and winter farther south and into north Africa.
The adult male is a rich chestnut colour with a darker back and a yellow eye. The pure white undertail helps to distinguish this species from the somewhat similar Tufted Duck. The female is similar but duller, and with a dark eye.
These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as Tufted Ducks and Pochards.
These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants with some molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish. They often feed at night, and will upend (dabble) for food as well as the more characteristic diving.
It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Hybrids between this species and the Common Pochard are sometimes referred to as “Paget’s Pochard”.
Other synonyms:
Asturian: Coríu Ferruñosu, Parru Ferruñosu
Breton: Ar morilhon gellruz
Catalan: Morell xocolater, Parda
Catalan (Balears): Parda
Czech: Polák malý
Welsh: Hwyaden gochddu, Hwyaden lygadwen
Danish: Hvidøjet and
German: Moorente
Maldivian: Rathu Reyru
English: Common Pochard, Common White-eye, Ferruginous Duck, Ferruginous Pochard, Ferruginous White-eye, Khanjan, White-eye, White-eye Pochard, White-eyed Pochard
Esperanto: Blankokula anaso
Spanish: Pato ojos blanco comun, Porrón Pardo
Estonian: ruskevart, Valgesilm-vart, valgesilm-vart (ruskevart), Valgesilm-vart e. ruskevart, Valgesilm-vart, ruskevart
Basque: Morell xocolater, Murgilari arrea
Finnish: Ruskosotka
Faroese: Hvítoygd ont
French: Fuligule nyroca, Milouin de Madagascar, Milouin nyroca
Irish: Póiseard Súilbhán
Galician: Morell xocolater, Pato castaño
Croatian: Patka Njorka
Hungarian: Cigányréce
Icelandic: Jarpönd
Italian: Moretta tabacca, Moretta tabaccata
Japanese: mejirogamo, Mejiro-gamo
Latin: Aythya nyroca, Aythya nyroca nyroca, Nyroca nyroca
Lithuanian: Rude
Latvian: Baltacis
Dutch: Witoogeend
Norwegian: Hvitøyeand
Polish: podgorzalka
Portuguese: zarro castanho, Zarro-castanho
Romansh: Anda da palì
Russian: Beloglazy Nyrok
Slovenian: kostanjevka
Albanian: Kryekuqe e vogël
Serbian: Crnka, Crnka, patka ciganka, patka ciganka, patka njorka
Swedish: Vitögd dykand
Swahili: Bata Macho-meupe
Travel Birdwatching Holiday Alentejo, Vacation Portugal for birders to see birds on your trip. Guided Birdwatching Trips and Tours.