Red-crested Pochard

Netta rufina (Pallas, 1773)

		male female duckling
2014-04-20 Sorbulak lake, Almaty region 2012-05-13 Sorbulak, Almaty oblast.2014-06-21 Almaty region, Sorbulak	© Vassiliy Fedorenko © Askar Isabekov© Gennadiy Dyakin

Distribution

Breeds mostly in the south of Kazakhstan, in the north up to Kamysh-Samarskiye lakes, Ilek river, Kustanay, Kokchetav, Semipalatinsk and Chernyy Irtysh river. On dispersal and migration seen throughout the country, sometimes wintering south of Turkestan. On Sorbulak lake 36 birds recorded 1 December 2002.

Biology

Common, locally numerous, breeding migrant. Inhabits fresh and salty lakes with reed-beds and large areas of open deep water on plains. Arrives somewhat later than other ducks, rarely at end February, mostly in March – mid-April. Migration finishes in mid-May. Migrating in small (one-two dozen) flocks, in pairs and singly. Nest is built in shallow hollow from dry grass stems and down, on ground near water under cover of bushes, or more often in reed-clamps among water, from dry reed leaves and lined with down. Breeds in separate pairs or in small groups of 5-15 pairs close together often with Ferruginous Duck. Clutches of 5-12 eggs in second half of April, but mostly in May. Female builds nest and incubates 28 days roughly. Juveniles hatch from mid-May to early July. They fly end of July – late August. After females begin to incubate, males gather on lakes with deep water and reed beds in big numbers and moult (end June – July). Autumn migration (in big flocks up to hundred and more birds) begins September. In southern areas they migrate in October up to water freezing.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.