RED-CRESTED POCHARD
This duck made an appearance at the end of last year (2025), at Livadi. They are large ducks, being up to 570mm long, with a wingspan of 900mm. The male has a rusty, red head with a lighter stipe on the crown. The breast, rump, and belly centre are black, but the sides have a white patch which is very visible during flight. The head is rounded with a coral, red bill. The female has a brown body with off white sides of its head and fore neck and a dark brown crown, hind neck and forehead. She has a grey bill with a pinkish spot near the tip.
The red-crested pochard is a Winter visitor here, breeding further North. Although this is a diving duck, it can be seen dabbling (upending to feed) for food on the water's surface. They mainly eat aquatic plants, and prefer large lowland lakes, fringed with reeds, sea bays, lagoons and salt marshes.
