Red-crested pochard
(Netta rufina)
Facts
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IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Facts about this animal
The red-crested pochard is a somewhat atypical diving duck with narrow bill and large head, and less inclined to dive and more frequently seen ashore than the Aythya species. The body-weight of males is about 1.1 kg, of females about 1 kg.
Nest sites are variable, often close to water or on floating mats of aquatic vegetation. 6 to 12 greenish eggs are laid, which are incubated by the female alone for 26-28 days.
The food of the red-crested pochard consists mainly of plant material, but they take also some molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish.
Did you know?
that red-crested pochards are the only waterfowl to engage in ritualised courtship feeding, a behaviour aparently restricted to mated pairs, which may serve to reinforce the pair bond? While the female waits on the surface, the male dives and brings her food offerings and, sometimes, even inedible items.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | AVES |
| Order | ANSERIFORMES |
| Suborder | ANSERES |
| Family | ANATIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Netta rufina |
| Name (English) | Red-crested pochard |
| Name (French) | Nette rousse |
| Name (German) | Kolbenente |
| Name (Spanish) | Pato colorado |
| Local names | Czech: Zrzohlávka rudozobá Dutch: Krooneend Estonian: Punanokk-vart Finnish: Punapäänarsku Greek: Pherentíni Hungarian: Üstökosréce Polish: Helmiatka Portuguese: Pado-de-bico-vermelho Italian: Fistione turco Romansh: Anda cotschna Swedish: Rödhuvad dykand |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Appendix II (as Anatidae spp.) Included in AEWA |
Photo Copyright by
Vladimír Motyčka
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, former Yug. Rep., Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Fed.,Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan There are vagrants in a series of other, mainly European and Mediterranean countries |
| Habitat | Freshwater wetlands. |
| Wild population | The global population is estimated to be 350,000 to440,000 individuals by Wetlands International (2002). |
| Zoo population | 1192 reported to ISIS (2006). |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 18 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Sannse
Why do zoos keep this animal
The red-crested pochard is not a threatened species. Zoos keep them for educational purposes and as an ambassador species for wetland conservation. in the past, red-crested pochards bred by zoos have occasionally been used for (re-)introduction projects.