Red crested pochard, pato colorado

Description:

Female. 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. Eclipse males are like females but with red bills. They are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as Common 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.

Habitat:

Spotted at Reserva Ornitológica Casa de Campo, Encinar de San Pedro, in a big park (Casa de Campo) in Madrid.

Notes:

Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/400 sec.; f/10; ISO Speed Rating: 400. Focal Length: 300.0 mm.