>> GENERAL >>>>>
– small duck, smallest diving duck
– considerably smaller than Mallard
– nocturnal migrant, diurnal movements
– migrates in small to medium flocks
– sometimes mixed with other ducks
>> VISUAL ID >>>>>
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, F AD
BIF0743, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– rather small and compact diving duck
– dark bill
– F dark brown, with off-white belly
– largely white underwing with distinct dusky trailing edge and broad dark leading edge
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, F AD
BIF0742, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– back weakly mottled pale
– striking white wingbar narrowerest on secondaries
– dark trailing edge broadest on secondaries
– white wingbar only slightly fading to light grey towards wingtip (more grey in wingtip in F Tufted Duck)
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, F AD
BIF0744, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– forehead not as steep as in Tufted Duck but less sloping than in Common Pochard
– F shows pale area of variable extent at the base of the bill
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, M AD
BIF0741, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– M with more dark chestnut tone than F
– underwing with broader dark leading egde than Tufted Duck
– belly and vent are white
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, M AD
BIF0740, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– back and upperwing coverts unicoloured dark brown
– striking white iris
– head appears rounder than in F
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, M F AD
BIF0745, 21/06/2010, Hortobágy, Hungary, Mathias Putze
– at distance appears unicoloured dark brown with striking white wingbar and small white belly
Common Pochard A. ferina X Ferruginous Duck A. nyroca hybrid (uppermost right)
Common Pochard Aythya ferina, M F
– at first sight very similar to pure Ferruginous Duck, but note orangey eye, wingbar shows extensive grey tones, ground colour too rufous
>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>
– usually nonvocal during migration
>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>
Greater Scaup (v)
Tufted Duck
Red-crested Pochard
Common Pochard
Ring-necked Duck
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