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The Red-crested Pochard , Netta rufina, is a large diving duck.
Their breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes in southern Europe and southern and central Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and northern birds winter further south and into north Africa.
The adult male is unmistakable. It has a rounded orange head, red bill and black breast. The flanks are white, the back brown, and the tail black. The female is mainly a pale brown, with a darker back and crown and a whitish face.
These are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as Pochards.
These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants, and typically upend for food more than most diving ducks.
