The common pochard, known simply as pochard in the United Kingdom, is a medium-sized diving duck in the family Anatidae. It is widespread across the Palearctic. It breeds primarily in the steppe regions of Scandinavia and Siberia, and winters farther south and west.
Region
Palearctic
Typical Environment
Breeds across temperate Eurasia from Ireland and Scandinavia through eastern Europe to western Siberia. In winter it moves south and west to ice-free waters across western and southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Central and East Asia. Prefers large, nutrient-rich freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and slow rivers with ample submerged and emergent vegetation. In winter it also uses brackish lagoons, sheltered coastal bays, and estuaries. Roosting often occurs in dense flocks offshore or in the center of large lakes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The common pochard is a medium-sized diving duck that forms large winter rafts on lakes and coastal lagoons. Males are striking with a chestnut head and red eyes, while females are subtler brown with a pale face. It dives for food, often at night, and can stay submerged for extended periods. Populations have declined in recent decades due to habitat loss, hunting pressure, and lead poisoning.
Eggs from the collection of the Museum of Toulouse
![Common pochards are strong fliers, capable of reaching speeds of 22–24 m/s (49–54 mph).[20]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Common_Pochard_%28Aythya_ferina%29_%2843770533960%29.jpg/1280px-Common_Pochard_%28Aythya_ferina%29_%2843770533960%29.jpg)
Common pochards are strong fliers, capable of reaching speeds of 22–24 m/s (49–54 mph).[20]
Temperament
social and wary
Flight Pattern
strong flier with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Highly gregarious outside the breeding season, forming large mixed flocks and rafts on open water. Pairs often form on the wintering grounds, and birds are semi-colonial or loose-colonial when nesting. Nests are built among emergent vegetation near or over water, with the female incubating and the male leaving early in incubation.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Generally quiet, but males give soft whistling and grunting notes during courtship. Both sexes produce low croaks and harsher calls when alarmed. Vocalizations carry poorly over distance and are most often heard at close range on breeding waters.
Plumage
Male with chestnut head, black breast, pale grey back and flanks, and black tail; female overall warm brown with a paler face and throat. Both sexes have a low, rounded profile with a relatively peaked crown. In flight, grey wings show darker flight feathers.
Diet
Feeds by diving for submerged plant material such as seeds, tubers, and leaves of pondweeds and other aquatic vegetation. Also takes mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insect larvae, especially during the breeding season when protein needs are higher. Diet varies seasonally and by site, with a higher proportion of plant matter in winter.
Preferred Environment
Forages in open freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and slow-flowing rivers with abundant submerged vegetation. In winter it also feeds in brackish lagoons and sheltered coastal waters where visibility and depth allow efficient diving.
