HUNTING HORIZONS - Worldwide Hunting Seasons Database

The Common Pochard [Aythya ferina] is a medium-sized diving duck. Pochards breed in much of temperate and northern Europe and into Asia, large numbers overwinter in Great Britain, after retreating from Russia and Scandinavia.
Northern populations of this species are highly migratory, and winter in the south and west of Europe, with those breeding in the milder parts of western or southern Europe being sedentary or only making short-distance dispersal movements governed by harsh weather conditions.

LENGTH: 46 cm
WEIGHT: 930 g
WINGSPAN: 77 cm

MALE: The male has a black breast and rear on a grey body, rich red head and neck with red eyes and a long dark bill with a grey band.


FEMALE: Can be harder to identify with a hint of grey brown on their mantle and flanks, pale blotches on their faces especially in front of the eye, brown head and body and a narrower grey bill band. The triangular head shape is distinctive.

HABITAT: Their breeding habitat is marshes and reed-fringed lakes with a metre or more water depth. These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter on lakes, reservoirs and in sheltered bays.
FEEDING: These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling and will often feed by night during the winter. Omnivorous they eat aquatic plants, some molluscs, aquatic insects and larvae, small fish and amphibians.

CALL: Although tending to be silent, utters a variety of whistles in courtship, female utters a 'squawk.'

FLIGHT: In flight, both sexes show uniquely grey-brown wings, paler across the flight feathers. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.