Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Pochard Ducks

Pochard Duck:     UK Status: Resident, the native population of about fifteen hundred birds swells greatly in the winter. Species coming here from the north to overwinter, numbers around twenty nine thousand mating pairs.

Habitat: This duck is sexually dimorphic, the males are easily recognized, the females can be easily confused with females of other species. They like a wide range of habitats including mainly lowland rivers, canals, large pools and lakes, river estuaries and even inshore salt water.

Breeding: Nests are situated on the ground close to water, sometimes on small islands, or even in shrubbery and reed beds suspended above the water. Nests are made of grasses and other vegetation, lined with downy breast feathers. There are eight to ten greyish green eggs in a clutch, and there is one, or sometimes two broods in a year.

Comment: Common in winter throughout the UK, but more discriminating in the breeding season. Few area's in the UK are used for breeding, and are mainly on, or near the east coast.

BE AWARE PLEASE:  Ground nesting birds are very vulnerable to having their eggs and chicks smashed or crushed. This can happen when people are unaware of their presence, or when dogs are allowed to run loose during the breeding season. Nests are very well hidden, and are not usually spotted until it's to late. Dogs often have no concern for ground nesting birds, please keep them on their leads from April through to the end of September.