HUNTING HORIZONS - Worldwide Hunting Seasons Database

The Red Crested Pochard [Netta rufina] is found in southern Europe, southern and central Asia. They are migratory and northern birds winter further south and into north Africa, the Mediterranean basin, south west Russia, the Middle East, Indian sub continent, Japan and south east Asia. There are smaller numbers in France, Netherlands and Germany and occasional wild birds in Britain.
These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, although it is more commonly found in small groups.

LENGTH: 53-58 cm
WEIGHT: 1.2 kg
WINGSPAN: 84-88 cm

MALE: The adult male is unmistakable; it has a rounded orange to chestnut brown head, red bill and black breast. The flanks are white, the back brown, and the tail black.

FEMALE: The female is mainly a pale brown, with a darker back and crown and a whitish face.

HABITAT: The species inhabits inland deep fresh or brackish reed fringed lakes, rivers, or lagoons in open country, also appears on estuaries, river deltas and other sheltered coastal habitats whilst migrating or during the winter. Their breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes

FEEDING: They feed mainly by diving or dabbling, it is mainly herbivorous; feeding at morning and night. The diet of this species consists predominantly of the roots, seeds and vegetative parts of aquatic plants; it will occasionally also take molluscs, amphibians and small fish.

FLIGHT: In flight they show whitish primaries.