White-headed Duck

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Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-headed Duck

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is April, the month with the most records.

Where to see the White-headed Duck

The map shades 35 countries with regular records, and 5 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, India, Czechia.

About the White-headed Duck

The white-headed duck is a small diving duck some 45 cm (18 in) long. The male has a white head with black crown, a blue bill, and reddish-grey plumage. The female has a dark bill and rather duller colouring. Its breeding habitat is lakes with open water and dense vegetation at the margin. It dives under water and feeds on aquatic vegetation as well as some animal matter. It is more likely to swim away from a perceived threat than to fly. This duck is known from Spain, North Africa, Western Asia and Central Asia. Populations are declining, mostly due to loss of habitat and pollution, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's status as "endangered".

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Lake DuckOxyura vittataThe lake duck grows to 36–46 centimetres (14–18 in). Blue-billed DuckOxyura australisThe tail feathers for both the male and female are made up of thick, spine-like shafts. Maccoa DuckOxyura maccoaAs members of the stiff-tailed duck group, Maccoas are often found wading in the water with their tail feathers cocked upwards.

Side by side: Ruddy Duck vs White-headed Duck · Blue-billed Duck vs White-headed Duck · Lake Duck vs White-headed Duck · Maccoa Duck vs White-headed Duck