About this species
The Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck. Males have a rich chestnut head, black breast, and pale grey body; females are dull brown with a paler face patch. It breeds on well-vegetated freshwater lakes and marshes across Eurasia.
Once one of the most abundant ducks in the Western Palearctic, the species has experienced a population decline of over 30% in three generations. Key breeding areas in Central Asia include lakes in Kazakhstan and southern Russia. Wintering birds concentrate around the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and the Mediterranean.
The species was uplisted to Vulnerable by IUCN in 2015. Threats include wetland drainage, disturbance, and hunting pressure.
