Pochard
Aythya ferina
Length 42-49cm

Common winter visitor to Britain and Ireland but scarce breeding species. Male unmistakable with reddish orange head, black breast, grey flanks and back, and black stern. Female has brown head and breast and grey-brown back and flanks; usually shows pale 'spectacle' around eye. Bill of both sexes dark with pale grey band towards tip. In flight, wings of both sexes look rather uniformly grey-brown. Usually seen in medium- to large-sized flocks and often mixes with tufted duck. Dives well and often. Favours lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits.