Description:

A rather large diving duck with a rounded head and rather long, fine-tipped bill. Shape more like dabbling duck. Male has rusty-orange head, black neck and breast, and white flanks. Female has pale cheeks contrasting with brown cap. Both sexes have largely white flight feathers on upperwing, and whitish underwing.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through major waterways and lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, mainly western parts. Lands during cloudy/harsh weather, at lakes, marshes, rivers and streams with fringe vegetation up to 3500m, avoiding turbulent waters.

Behavior:

Feeds by diving, upending, head dipping and dabbling on surface, with foraging activity generally concentrated in early morning and evening. When in flocks, all birds tend to use same feeding method. Essentially vegetarian; roots, seeds and green parts of aquatic plants; occasionally also aquatic invertebrates, amphibians and small fish.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

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

Seasonal Occurrence of Red-crested 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.