Common Pochard

A diving duck seen mainly in winter in Ireland.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Season first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Mainly autumn to spring, including passage
Where to start: Public lakeside viewpoints and wetland reserves overlooking open water.
What to do when you arrive: In winter, scan diving-duck flocks on open lakes for males with chestnut heads, black breasts and grey backs. Females are plainer and need careful comparison.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes

How to identify it

Males have a chestnut head, black breast, grey body and red eye. Females are brown-headed and grey-brown with pale facial markings. A sloping forehead gives a pointed head profile.

Habitat

Freshwater lakes, ponds, slow rivers and some sheltered bays.

Behaviour

Dives for plants and invertebrates and often joins other diving ducks.

When to look

Mainly autumn to spring, including passage

Where to look

Public lakeside viewpoints and wetland reserves overlooking open water.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Further reading:BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · BTO · Diving ducks ↗ · Wikipedia ↗

COMMUNITY SIGHTINGS

Recent encounters

0 public sightings

◌

No public sightings yet.
Yours could be the first.