Aythya baeri
The Baer's Pochard (Aythya baeri) is a strikingly handsome, medium-sized diving duck, measuring approximately 41-47 cm in length with a wingspan of about 70-80 cm. Males in breeding plumage are particularly distinctive, featuring a dark head with an iridescent green sheen, contrasting sharply with a chestnut breast and strikingly pale, almost white flanks. A steep forehead and a prominent white speculum (wing patch) visible in flight are key identification features, often accompanied by a dis...
This species primarily inhabits freshwater wetlands, including lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and marshes, typically at low elevations. It prefers sites with dense emergent vegetation for nesting and open water for foraging.
Primarily omnivorous, their diet consists mainly of aquatic plants, including seeds, roots, and stems, supplemented significantly by aquatic invertebrates such as insect larvae, molluscs, and small crustaceans, obtained by diving.
Baer's Pochards are generally diurnal, spending their days foraging and resting, often congregating in large flocks outside the breeding season. Their primary foraging strategy involves diving to depths of up to several meters to retrieve submerged aquatic vegetation and invertebrates from the la...
The Baer's Pochard's historical breeding range spanned across eastern Asia, encompassing southeastern Russia (specifically Amurland and Primorye), northeastern China (primarily Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia), and possibly North Korea. Today, breeding populations are highly fragmented an...
Critically Endangered
- It is often referred to as the "Ghost Duck" due to its extreme rarity and elusive nature, making it one of the most sought-after birds by twitchers globally. - The male's iridescent green head sheen is a key distinguishing feature, often only visible in good light, adding to the challenge and r...