Michele Mendi

A freshwater diving duck, with a fragmented distribution from Central and South Europe to North Africa, Central Asia and Mongolia. Wintering within breeding range but also across the Sahel, in the Middle East to South East Asia. The species is listed as Near-Threatened because of rapid declines in European numbers (Robinson and Hughes 2006).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendUnknown
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		18000-47000,28600
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Ferruginous Duck

If there are certainly movements of this duck to reach traditional wintering sites on large lakes of West and Central Europe, the overall NE-SW short-distance movements are also completed by movements in almost all directions, as illustrated by the movements of recently reintroduced juveniles in Germany, or by recoveries from birds ringed in winter in Switzerland. There are mostly recoveries of juveniles, e.g. in France, corresponding to the released German birds.

Recoveries by Condition for Ferruginous Duck

Before 1990, recoveries are of very scarce (roughly between 0 and 5 per year), and concern almost only dead birds. Since 2012, colour marking of wild and released individuals increased dramatically the number of recoveries, which concern 94% of live birds. This huge discrepancy between numbers and condition indicate that most information coming from ringing recoveries concern recent times and live birds.

Annual Movements for Ferruginous Duck

The first post-breeding movements are noted in July, for example from Central Europe to the SW and SE. However, most movements to southern wintering grounds are occurring in October and November, the southernmost wintering recoveries, along the Mediterranean, being obtained from December to February. The spring migration peaks in late April in Siberia, while it peaks at mid-September in autumn (Tucakov 2005).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Ferruginous Duck

Birds from Central Europe, including Germany, are present year-round in the region, though some are moving to the SW, with most recoveries e.g. in France from October to March. These movers are back on breeding grounds in April.

Frédéric Jiguet

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Robinson JA, Hughes B2006 . International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca.
Tucakov, M.2005 . Migration of Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) and Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) on Kolut fishpond, northern Serbia. Aquila 122: 15–22

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