About the Tufted Duck
The tufted duck is a small diving duck with a population of nearly one million birds, found in northern Eurasia. They are partially migratory. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek aithuia, an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors such as Hesychius and Aristotle, and Latin fuligo 'soot' and gula 'throat'. It is a game bird.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill with golden yellow eyes, along with a thin crest on the back of the head. It has a prominent tuft on its head, which gives the species its name. The adult female is brown with lighter flanks, and is more easily confused with other diving ducks. In particular, some have white around the base of the bill, resembling the scaup species, although the white is never as extensive as that of those ducks. The female's call is a harsh, growling "karr", usually given in flight.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Tufted Duck sounds like
Where the Tufted Duck lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Chile, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Turkmenistan.
When to see the Tufted Duck
Peak activity in April · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Lesser ScaupAythya affinisAdults are 38–48 cm (15–19 in) long, 41.7–43 cm (16.4–16.9 in) on average.
Ring-necked DuckAythya collarisRing-necked ducks are small to medium-sized diving ducks with the following length, weight, and wingspan measurements:
Length: 15.3–18.1 in (39–46 cm)
Weight: 17.3–32.1 oz (490–910 g)
Wingspan: 24.4–24.8 in (62–63 cm)
The adult male is similar in color pattern to the Eurasian tufted duck, its relative.
RedheadAythya americanaThe redhead is a pochard, a diving duck specially adapted to foraging underwater.
Side by side: Ring-necked Duck vs Tufted Duck · Lesser Scaup vs Tufted Duck · Redhead vs Tufted Duck
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