Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Waterbirds

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya nyroca

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire Birds of Cumbria Birds of Cornwall Birds of Derbyshire

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of England

See what's near you right now

The Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 574 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Aythya
Species nyroca

Where it lives

Western Europe and northwestern Africa to central Asia

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 574 g
Diet: Aquatic plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Ringed Teal

Callonetta leucophrys

Critically Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Ferruginous Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Ferruginous Duck is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w Europe and nw Africa to c Asia.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 574 g, with a wing length of about 18.3 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.8 million km².

Songs & calls

Ferruginous Duck — Flight call

Recorded by András Schmidt Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Ferruginous Duck?

The Ferruginous Duck is a large bird that weighs around 574 g.

Where does the Ferruginous Duck live?

The Ferruginous Duck is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w Europe and nw Africa to c Asia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Ferruginous Duck belong to?

The Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Ferruginous Duck eat?

The Ferruginous Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Ferruginous Duck migrate?

The Ferruginous Duck is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Ferruginous Duck endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Ferruginous Duck make?

1 real field recording of the Ferruginous Duck — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Ferruginous Duck's range?

The Ferruginous Duck has a mapped global range of about 6.8 million km².