Nature Photographers Ltd

Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina - female L 54-57cm. Large, distinctive diving duck; male is unmistakable. Associates with other diving ducks. In flight, both sexes show striking white wing bars. Sexes are dissimilar in other regards. Adult male has rounded, bright orange head, black neck, breast, belly and stern, and white flanks. Back is grey-buff and bill is bright red. In eclipse, resembles adult female but retains red bill. Adult female has mainly grey-buff plumage, darkest on back and above eye, and pale cheeks. Bill is mainly dark with pink tip. Juvenile Resembles adult female but bill is uniformly dark. Voice Mostly silent. Status Occurs in mainland Europe; some records may be genuine vagrants but most sightings are certainly escapees; feral populations are now established. Favours lakes and flooded gravel pits