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Ferruginous Duck,Zarro Castanho

Aythya nyroca

Description:

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".

Habitat:

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

Notes:

spotted in Vila Nova de Gaia Biological Park i think this the male

1 Species ID Suggestions

Liam
Liam 11 years ago
Ferruginous Duck
Aythya nyroca Ferruginous Duck


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6 Comments

AntónioGinjaGinja
AntónioGinjaGinja 11 years ago

thanks Ashishe,they say in my link that he is a rae viaitors of Portugal,i would love to se them in wild :)

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

Lovely... never seen such cute Maroon shade...!!

AntónioGinjaGinja
AntónioGinjaGinja 11 years ago

Thanks Liam for one more id

AntónioGinjaGinja
AntónioGinjaGinja 11 years ago

@thanks Emma i never saw these ones,the ducks facilitys as a photo place a little far from the ducks so it's nor easy to cache them near,you have to wait,next times i'am going to take much more time for the ducks,there several species,6 at list
@Thanks Willi for your concern,i'll check to my bird books to se if is a natural duck or a hibrid or a introduced one,i'am curious

williefromwi
williefromwi 11 years ago

The only two ducks I know that are similar to this are the Redhead ( Aythya americana ) and the Cinnamon Teal ( Anas cyanoptera ) Unless there is a species of duck in your area that I am not aware of ( which could be the case) this might be a hybrid. I will look forward to seeing what others with more knowledge then I have to say about your beautiful spotting

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

unusual coloring!

Porto, Portugal

Spotted on Jun 13, 2012
Submitted on Jun 21, 2012

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