Photo: Alexis Lours / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Victoria Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Ontario Birds of Prince Edward Island Birds of Quebec

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Victoria Ducks, Geese & Swans of Alberta Ducks, Geese & Swans of British Columbia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Manitoba Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Brunswick Ducks, Geese & Swans of Newfoundland and Labrador Ducks, Geese & Swans of Nova Scotia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ontario Ducks, Geese & Swans of Prince Edward Island Ducks, Geese & Swans of Quebec

See what's near you right now

The Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 701 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

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

Where it lives

Widespread

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 701 g
Diet: Aquatic plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Critically Endangered

Baer’s Pochard

Aythya baeri

Least Concern

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

Least Concern

Hardhead

Aythya australis

Least Concern

Lesser Scaup

Aythya affinis

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Tufted Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Tufted Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 701 g, with a wing length of about 19.7 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 20.4 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Tufted Duck — Call

Recorded by Grzegorz Lorek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Tufted Duck?

The Tufted Duck is a large bird that weighs around 701 g.

Where does the Tufted Duck live?

The Tufted Duck is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Tufted Duck belong to?

The Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Tufted Duck eat?

The Tufted Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Tufted Duck migrate?

The Tufted Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Tufted Duck endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Tufted Duck make?

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

How large is the Tufted Duck's range?

The Tufted Duck has a mapped global range of about 20.4 million km².