 Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina). Male. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on March 28th 2022. Male. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on March 28th 2022. (1/1000th sec at f8. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)  Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina). Female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on March 28th 2022. Female. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on March 28th 2022. (1/1000th sec at f8. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)  Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina). Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on August 1st 2017. Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on August 1st 2017. (1/320th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings) Description L: 55 cm; WS: 86 cm The Red-crested Pochard is a large diving duck. 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. It is found in southern Europe and Central Asia, and winters in the Indian subcontinent and Africa. Its status in the British Isles is much confused because there have been many escapes and deliberate releases over the years, as well as natural visitors from the continent. However, escapees are now breeding in the wild and have built up a successful feral population. They are most numerous in central southern England. Its breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes. It is somewhat migratory, and northern birds winter further south into north Africa. Sightings | 19-Apr-2024 | : | Rushy Common, Oxon | (2) | | 17-Apr-2024 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2) | | 31-Mar-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 16-Mar-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (4) | | 26-Jan-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (5) | | 01-Jan-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (32) |
| | 26-Dec-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (20+) | | 16-May-2023 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (1) | | 27-Apr-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 19-Mar-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (5m) | | 11-Mar-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 26-Feb-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (7) | | 19-Feb-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (8) | | 01-Feb-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (7) |
| | 06-Dec-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (10+) | | 20-Nov-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (80+) | | 13-Nov-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (10) | | 25-Apr-2022 | : | Rushy Common, Oxon | (6) | | 28-Mar-2022 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2) | | 09-Jan-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (3m,1f) | | 01-Jan-2022 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (2) |
| | 08-Jul-2021 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (6) | | 14-Feb-2021 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (7) | | 17-Jan-2021 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (20+) | | 11-Jan-2021 | : | Radley Lakes, Oxon | (1m) |
| | 22-Mar-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (3) | | 14-Mar-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 08-Mar-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (20) | | 27-Jan-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (11) |
| | 11-Dec-2019 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (6) | | 07-Nov-2019 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (130+) | | 23-Mar-2019 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (11m,2f) | | 08-Jan-2019 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (6) |
| | 20-Dec-2018 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (16) | | 12-Nov-2018 | : | Extremadura, Spain | (1) | | 07-Oct-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1f) | | 30-Sep-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1f) | | 13-Sep-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1f) | | 09-Jun-2018 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (4) | | 02-Jun-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (3) | | 11-May-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1f) | | 25-Apr-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2) | | 15-Apr-2018 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (1m) | | 24-Feb-2018 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (4) | | 17-Jan-2018 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (c24) |
| | 16-Dec-2017 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 01-Aug-2017 | : | Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon | (2juv) | | 14-May-2017 | : | Whelford Pools, Glos | (5) | | 02-Jan-2017 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (40+) |
| | 26-Dec-2016 | : | Rushy Common, Oxon | (24) |
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