Common pochard

Scientific name: Aythya ferina

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Males are distinctive with a chestnut-red head, black breast, pale grey body, and dark rump. Females are duller grey-brown with a paler face and breast; both sexes have red eyes and dark-tipped grey bills.

Size and weight

Males 42–49 cm, 800–1000 g; females 41–46 cm, 700–900 g.

Habitat

Common pochards inhabit freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and slow-flowing rivers with open water and emergent vegetation. They prefer deeper waters than many dabbling ducks, typically at lowland and moderate elevations.

Distribution

Common pochards breed across temperate Eurasia from western Europe to eastern Siberia and winter in southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia. They favour shallow to moderately deep freshwater bodies.

Diet

Pochards are diving ducks feeding primarily on aquatic vegetation, seeds, and tubers; they also take invertebrates and small fish, with food choice varying by season and water availability.

Behaviour

Pochards are highly social, forming large flocks especially in winter; they are primarily diurnal feeders on open water but move to sheltered bays and reed-beds at dusk. They dive frequently and spend considerable time resting on water.

Hunting tips

Look for rafts of birds on larger open waters at dawn and dusk; approach from downwind across water where possible, using natural cover and banking. Expect rapid flushing and strong direct flight; shots are best at close range before the flock scatters. Scout regularly for roosting sites and feeding areas, as flocks relocate with weather and disturbance.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 10 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.