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Photo by soenke

Aythya marila

[edit] Identification

A medium sized diving duck, slightly smaller than the pochard but larger than tufted duck.

Male easily identified by the rounded head which is a glossy green-black and lacks a tuft. The eye is yellow and the bill pale grey with small black ‘nail’. Lower throat and upper chest area black, as is the rump and vent area. Flanks and belly white with fine vermiculations on the back, these appearing greyish white at long range.

Eclipse Male appears browner than the breeding bird, and it can have a pale patch to the base of the bill. The white flanks take on a muddied appearance.

Female is much harder to identify. The head shape is rounded, yellow eye and with a white area at the base of the bill which can be quite large. In spring and summer most birds have a pale area on the ear-coverts. The overall colouring is a dull brown with slightly paler flanks. At very close range the vermiculations on the back of the female can be made out.

[edit] Similar Species

Tufted Duck, Lesser Scaup and Common Pochard

[edit] Distribution

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] External Links