Description:

A lightly built pochard, on water looking very dark with white undertail-coverts and no pale patch on foreflank. Chestnut head, breast and flanks and white undertail-coverts. Female is duller than male and has a dark iris. In flight, shows extensive white wing-bar and white belly.

Distribution:

Uncommon passage migrant through major waterways and lakes all across Gilgit-Baltistan. Landing in the region during cloudy/harsh weather, at lakes, marshes, rivers and streams with fringe vegetation up to 3500m, avoiding turbulent waters.

Behavior:

Feeds in shallow water, by diving, head dipping, upending or dabbling on surface. Being typically found alone or in small parties of up to five birds. Chiefly feeds on seeds, roots and green parts of aquatic plants; also aquatic invertebrates (worms, molluscs, crustaceans, insects and larvae), amphibians and small fish.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Ferruginous Pochard in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Ferruginous Pochard

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.