Tufted duck
The tufted duck is a common waterfowl species found across Europe, known for its impressive diving capabilities and distinctive physical features. Males are characterized by a long, drooping tuft of feathers on their heads and striking black and glossy purple plumage, while females have a shorter tuft and a more subdued brown coloration. These ducks possess short, pointed wings that make takeoff challenging, requiring them to run along the water's surface before becoming airborne. However, their wings are well-adapted for diving, allowing them to search for a varied diet that includes mollusks, small fish, and aquatic plants, as well as foraging on land for grains.
Tufted ducks inhabit freshwater lakes, marshes, and even man-made bodies of water, with some populations migrating seasonally between breeding and wintering grounds. They typically nest in vegetative cover near water and lay between eight to ten eggs, with the female incubating them for about 26 to 28 days. Predators of tufted ducks include birds of prey and various mammals, yet they are not considered a threatened species. With a lifespan averaging around four years, tufted ducks are relatively resilient and adaptable, making them a notable presence in their natural habitats.
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Tufted duck
The tufted duck, one of Europe's most common ducks, is known for its great diving abilities. This species is named for the long, fine, drooping crest of feathers on the back of the male's head. The female has a shorter, smaller tuft of feathers on her head.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aythya
Species: Fuligula
The short, pointed wings of the tufted duck make becoming airborne difficult, and it must patter across the water's surface before it fully clears the water and is in flight. These same wings give the duck excellent diving skill in order to feed in the water. Powerful paddles of the webbed feet enable the duck to remain underwater for up to 30 seconds at a time. While underwater, the tufted duck finds mollusks, snails, small fish, insects, and crustaceans, as well as various plants and seeds to eat. A tufted duck may spend hours each day feeding underwater Still other insects and their larvae float on the surface until the duck snatches them in its broad, flat bill. On occasion, the duck may also forage on land for grain or even take handouts from people in parks. This varied diet makes tufted ducks omnivores or meat- and plant-eating animals.
The male tufted duck has black or glossy, purple feathers on its head, breast, and back. Its sides and underparts are pure white. Its small, bright yellow or golden eyes contrast strongly with the purple of its head. A long tuft, or crest, of feathers droops from the back of his head and gives this species its name. The female also has a tuft, but hers is smaller and shorter. She also does not have the bold colors of the male but has brown plumage with a white patch near the base or her bill. Her eyes also are the same color as the male's.
Tufted ducks are 16 to 18 1/2 inches (40 to 47 centimeters) long and weigh 20 to 35 1/3 ounces (560 to 1,000 grams). Their spread wings are 25 1/2 to 28 1/3 inches (65 to 72 centimeters) across. The females' wings are brown, and the males' are purple along the front edges, while the rest is white.
Temperate regions throughout Eurasia and northern Africa are the places to find tufted ducks depending on the season. Some flocks remain in western Europe year-long, while the others migrate between northern breeding grounds and southern ranges for the winter. Large lakes and flooded marshlands of freshwater are typical habitats, but the ducks also frequently live near man-made bodies of water, such as ponds, lakes, flooded gravel pits, and reservoirs. Coastal lagoons and estuaries are popular sites for flocks during the winter in some regions.
Mating occurs between May and August. Pairs may form either before they migrate to the breeding areas or when they arrive there. Males and females find new mates each year. Clumps of reeds or foliage alongside the water's edge provide nesting sites for the ducks' ground nests. Nesting sites are often near colonies of gulls and terns, birds which drive away crows and other predators of eggs and young. Each female lays eight to 10 eggs and incubates them for 26 to 28 days. Within hours of hatching the ducklings feed themselves, but they remain with their mother until they fledge, or develop all their feathers, at 49 to 56 days of age. Migration south occurs in September. One year after hatching, the young ducks are able to mate.
Birds of prey, turtles, foxes, domestic dogs, and humans are predators of the tufted duck. Tufted ducks have a life span of around four years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
Polan, Jason. “Tufted Duck - Audubon Field Guide.” National Audubon Society, 2024, www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-duck. Accessed 13 May 2024.
Sjögren, Ivan. “Tufted Duck Overview.” All About Birds, 2024, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted‗Duck/overview. Accessed 13 May 2024.