Thetufted duck(ortufted pochard) (Aythya fuligula) is a smalldiving duckwith a population of close to one million birds, found in northern Eurasia. They are partially migratory. The scientific name is derived fromAncient Greekaithuia,an unidentifiedseabirdmentioned by authors includingHesychiusandAristotle,andLatinfuligo'soot' andgula'throat'. It is agame bird.[3]
| Tufted duck | |
|---|---|
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| Male (above) and female (below) | |
Scientific classification
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Genus: | Aythya |
| Species: | A. fuligula
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| Binomial name | |
| Aythya fuligula | |
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| Global distribution map Year-Round Range Summer Range Winter Range
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| Synonyms | |
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Anas fuligulaLinnaeus, 1758 | |
Taxonomy
editThe tufted duck wasformally describedin 1758 by the Swedish naturalistCarl Linnaeusin thetenth editionof hisSystema Naturaeunder thebinomial nameAnas fuligula.[4]He cited the Swiss naturalistConrad Gessnerwho in 1555 had used the identical nameAnas fuligulain hisHistoriae animalium.[5]Linnaeus specified thetype localityas Europe but in 1761 restricted it to Sweden.[6][7]The tufted duck is now one of 12 species placed in thegenusAythyathat was introduced in 1822 by the German naturalistFriedrich Boie.[8]The genus name is fromAncient Greekaithuia,an unidentified seabird mentioned byAristotle,Hesychiusand other authors. The specific epithetfuligulacombinesLatinmeaning "soot" andgulameaning "throat".[9]The species ismonotypic:nosubspeciesare recognised.[8]An alternative common name is "tufted pochard".[10]
Description
editThe adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill with gold-yellow eyes, along with a thin crest on the back of its head. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name. The adult female is brown with paler flanks, and is more easily confused with other diving ducks. In particular, some have white around the bill base which resembles thescaupspecies, although the white is never as extensive as in thoseducks.The females' call is a harsh, growling "karr", mostly given in flight. The males are mostly silent but they make whistles during courtship based on a simple "wit-oo".
The only ducks which are similar are thegreater scaupandlesser scaup,but these species have no tuft and a different call.
The tufted duck is one of the species to which theAgreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds(AEWA) applies.[11]
Refer to the following table for measurements of the tufted duck:[12]
| Measurement | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Range of mass | 753-1026.2 g | 629-906.8 g |
| Average of mass | 889.6 g | 768.3 g |
| Range of length | 40.6-45.7 cm | 40.6-45.7 cm |
| Average of length | 43.2 cm | 43.2 cm |
| Range of wingspan | 20.2-21.2 cm | 19.4-20.7 cm |
Distribution and habitat
editThe tufted duck breeds throughout temperate and northernEurasia.It occasionally can be found as a winter visitor along both coasts of theUnited StatesandCanada.It is believed to have expanded its traditional range with the increased availability of open water due to gravel extraction, and the spread of freshwatermussels,a favourite food. These ducks aremigratoryin most of their range, and overwinter in the milder south and west ofEurope,southernAsiaand all year in theBritish Isles.One individual has been reported as far south asMelbourne,Australia.They form large flocks on open water in winter.
Their breeding habitat is close tomarshesand lakes with plenty of vegetation to conceal the nest. They are also found on coastallagoons,shorelinesand sheltered ponds.
Behaviour and ecology
editBreeding
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In northern Europe breeding takes place between mid May and the end of July. They are not colonial but sometimes the nests can be in a loose group. Most nests are placed beside water; an island site is preferred. The nest is built by the female and consists of depression in the ground that is lined with grass, reeds and down. The clutch consists of 8–11 greenish-grey eggs that measure 59 mm × 41 mm (2.3 in × 1.6 in). They are incubated by the female starting after the clutch is complete so that they hatch synchronously. The female covers the eggs with down when she is away from the nest. The eggs hatch after around 25 days (range 23–28 days). The young areprecocialandnidifugous.They can feed themselves and are cared for by the female who broods them when they are small. They typically fledge when aged between 45 and 50 days. Tufted ducks usually first breed at one year but occasionally at 2 years.[13]
Food and feeding
editThese birds feed mainly by diving, but they will sometimes upend from the surface.[14]They eatmolluscs,aquaticinsectsand some plants and sometimes feed at night.
Hunting
editThey are hunted as sport in the UK, Italy, Iran, Finland and Denmark, and commercially in Iran. Eggs used to be (and maybe continue to be) gathered in Iceland.[15] Because it feeds on the water bottom, it can taste "muddy" and is considered a less tasty duck.[16]
Gallery
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Adult male,Vrouwenpolder,Netherlands -
Ducklings -
Immature males,Farmoor Reservoir,Oxfordshire -
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Female,WWT London Wetland Centre -
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Tufted duck on stamp ofBelarus,1996. -
Flock of 2000 tufted ducks inYstadport, Sweden
References
edit- ^BirdLife International (2016)."Aythya fuligula".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2016:e.T22680391A86013549.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680391A86013549.en.Retrieved12 November2021.
- ^BirdLife International. (2021)."Aythya fuligula(Europe assessment) ".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2021:e.T22680391A166205462.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22680391A166205462.en.Retrieved12 November2021.
- ^"Tufted DuckAythya fuligula".NatureGate.
- ^Linnaeus, Carl(1758).Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis(in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 128.
- ^Gesner, Conrad(1555).Historiae animalium liber III qui est de auium natura. Adiecti sunt ab initio indices Alpha betici decem super nominibus auium in totidem linguis diuersis: & ante illos enumeratio auium eo ordiné quo in hoc volumine continentur(in Latin). Zurich: Froschauer. p. 116.
- ^Linnaeus, Carl(1761).Fauna svecica, sistens animalia sveciae regni mammalia, aves amphibia, pisces, insecta, vermes(in Latin) (2nd ed.). Stockholmiae: Sumtu & Literis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. p. 47.
- ^Mayr, Ernst;Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979).Check-List of Birds of the World.Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 486.
- ^abGill, Frank;Donsker, David;Rasmussen, Pamela,eds. (December 2023)."Screamers, ducks, geese & swans".IOC World Bird List Version 14.1.International Ornithologists' Union.Retrieved1 July2024.
- ^Jobling, James A. (2010).The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names.London: Christopher Helm. pp.64,165.ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^Carboneras, Carles (1992)."Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)".In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (eds.).Handbook of the Birds of the World.Vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. pp. 536–628 [618].ISBN84-87334-10-5.
- ^"Official language versions of the Agreement Text and its Annexes as amended by the 8th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP8)".Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).Retrieved1 July2024.
- ^Azzi, MayaV; Garrison, RyanJ."Aythya fuligula (tufted duck)".Animal Diversity Web.Retrieved2020-09-25.
- ^Cramp 1977,p. 584.
- ^Ogilvie, Malcolm A. (1986)."Tufted Duck".In Lack, Peter (ed.).The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland.London, UK: T & AD Poyser. p. 110.ISBN978-1-4081-3828-1.Retrieved12 August2014.
- ^"Tufted DuckAythya fuligula".BLI Datazone.Bird Life International.
- ^"A complete guide to cooking game birds".loveFOOD.21 November 2017.
Sources
edit- Cramp, Stanley,ed. (1977). "Aythya fuligaTufted duck ".Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.Vol. I: Ostrich to Ducks. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 577–586.ISBN978-0-19-857358-6.
External links
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- Tufted Ducks videofrom Gallery of Living Nature.
- BirdLife species factsheet forAythya fuligula
- "Aythya fuligula".Avibase.
- "Tufted duck media".Internet Bird Collection.
- Tufted duck photo galleryat VIREO (Drexel University)
- Interactive range map ofAythya fuligulaatIUCN Red List maps
- Audio recordings of Tufted duckonXeno-canto.
