Common Pochard

Overview

Common Pochard: Medium-sized, colorful diving duck from Eurasia with a rich red-brown head, black breast and tail, and gray body. Dark bill has a pale gray saddle; eyes are red. Feeds on aquatic plants, dives often, sometimes dabbles. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats. Flies in a V formation.

Range and Habitat

Common Pochard: Rare visitor to the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands, very rare in rest of Alaska and one record for southern California.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Common Pochard is a gregarious bird, and forms large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as the Tufted Duck, which they are known to hybridise with. The Common Pochard is one of three species of diving ducks in the genus Aytha. A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.