The Common Pochard 

 THE COMMON POCHARD 



Fuligula ferina (Linnaeus) 



With this and the preceding species we come to the 

 second division of the Ducks, which are known as Diving 

 Ducks, in contradistinction to the others which are known 

 as surface-feeders, although quite capable, when alarmed, 

 of diving. Diving Ducks may be recognised by having the 

 legs placed further back on the body, thus rendering their 

 progress on land rather difficult, and by the hind toe being 

 lobed. 



The Pochard is chiefly a winter visitor to our shores, 

 occurring not uncommonly in most seasons, but being in 

 some years much more numerous than in others. It chiefly 

 frequents the sea-coasts, feeding on Crustacea, molluscs, and 

 a certain amount of marine or aquatic weeds, which it 

 procures almost entirely by diving, but it is by no means 

 exclusively confined to such localities, and is frequently met 

 with on inland waters, provided they are of sufficient size. 

 In spring the majority leave us for their breeding haunts on 

 the Continent, but as a breeding species with us it is on the 

 increase, and may be found in a certain number of favoured 

 localities throughout England and Scotland. In Ireland, 

 where it is fairly abundant during the winter, it has only 

 been known to nest on a few occasions. 



The note of the male is a low whistle, but both sexes 

 utter an alarm-note, which may be syllabled as " curre." 

 The nest is always placed in thick cover close to the water's 



253 



