Facts about Ferruginous Duck

1. 08

   Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, the ferruginous duck faces ongoing pressure from habitat loss, hunting, and wetland degradation throughout its range.

   Ferruginous DuckJun 8shareconservationecologybirds
2. 07

   During winter months, ferruginous ducks display white spotting on their flanks and undertail coverts, features absent in their closely related congener the tufted duck.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharebiologyidentificationplumage
3. 06

   Aythya nyroca pairs typically lay clutches of 8 to 10 eggs, with incubation lasting approximately 25 to 27 days before ducklings fledge around 55 to 60 days old.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharereproductionmeasurementbiology
4. 05

   Ferruginous ducks wintering in the Mediterranean and Middle East undertake migration journeys exceeding 3,000 kilometers between their breeding grounds in Central Asia and seasonal refuges.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharemigrationgeographybehavior
5. 04

   Across Central Asia and southeastern Europe, ferruginous ducks typically breed in colonies of 5 to 50 pairs on freshwater lakes and marshes during April through June.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharebreedinggeographybehavior
6. 03

   Diving to depths of up to 14 meters, ferruginous ducks are among the deepest-diving dabbling ducks, foraging for aquatic plants and invertebrates on lake and wetland bottoms.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharebehaviorbiologymeasurement
7. 02

   Males of this species develop a distinctive chestnut-red head and breast plumage during breeding season, contrasting sharply with their white eyes and dark bodies.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharebiologyappearancebreeding
8. 01

   The ferruginous duck's population declined by approximately 90 percent across Europe between 1994 and 2014, making it one of the continent's most rapidly declining duck species.

   Ferruginous DuckMay 14sharebiologyconservationmeasurement