Common Pochard

The Common Pochard is a stocky, short-tailed diving duck, 42–49 centimetres long with a 72–82-centimetre wingspan. Its forehead slopes into a relatively long bill. A breeding male combines a chestnut head and neck, black breast and tail, and finely patterned pale-grey body; the dark bill carries a broad blue-grey band, and the iris becomes orange-red to red. Females are quieter brown with a brown iris. Reported winter weights range from 467 to 1,240 grams, with males averaging heavier. (Wikipedia, Common Pochard account)

Common Pochards use shallow lakes and marshes that combine open water with abundant aquatic vegetation. They dive and upend to obtain plant material as well as aquatic invertebrates, shifting the balance of foods with place and season. Breeding is centred across the Palearctic, especially steppe and forest-steppe waters, and many birds move south and west after nesting. Outside the breeding season they can gather in large flocks, often mixing with other diving ducks, and they usually feed at night as well as during daylight. (Wikipedia, Common Pochard account)