Aythya nyroca - Ferruginous Duck
Feather characters. Barbules are short (0.82-0.96 mm) and barbules contain lightly stippled pigment. Triangular nodes are located on distal end, covering less than 30% of the total barbule length. On proximal end, nodal structures are visible but undeveloped and hardly swollen, and thus too small to qualify as nodes (14-16 per mm). An abrupt increase in size of nodes is seen distally along the barbules. In a very few cases triangular nodes may not be present. Villi are absent and internodes are occasionally kinked. Short prongs are mostly located on distal end of the barbules, on both sides of the pennulum. Their length varies; the longest ones are longer than 0.01 mm, but shorter than half the length of the adjacent internode. Occasionally asymmetrical prongs may be found proximal to heart-shaped nodes.
Field characters. Size 38-42 cm. Weight 574 g (470-740) (Dunning, 1993). Somewhat smaller and more delicate than Tufted Duck. Male with rich chestnut head, neck, and breast; sides and flanks paler; upperparts black-brown and wings glossed dull green; conspicuous white undertail; belly and eye white, legs black; bill slate-grey with grey tip and edges. In flight with conspicuous, broad white band along whole length of hind wing. Female duller and browner than male and with brown eyes. Juvenile very similar to adult female but with brown spots on undertail-coverts. Male in eclipse also as adult female but eye still white.
Voice. Generally silent; male has a low, grating wheeze; note of female like female Pochard but less loud.
Distribution. Local and rare breeding bird in Europe. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Prefers secluded pools and lagoons rich in submerged and floating vegetation and fringed by dense stands of emergent plants.
Food. Feeding methods include surface-feeding, swimming with head submerged, up-ending, and diving. Mainly seeds and other parts of aquatic plants; it takes also small fish, tadpoles, annelids, molluscs, insects, crustaceans.