THE POCHARD 



NTROCA FERINA 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : " Dunbird," 

 " Red-headed Dunbird " (Essex). 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : Best known as a common 

 winter visitor, but breeds locally in many parts of England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : The Pochard nests in some numbers every year 

 at the Tring Reservoirs, in Hertfordshire, some thirty 

 miles only from the Metropolis. It is also found on 

 Virginia Water, some twenty-three miles from London, 

 but I am unable to say whether it breeds there. The 

 bird also nests commonly in South Norfolk. It is not 

 surprising, therefore, that the Pochard visits many of the 

 Metropolitan waters during winter, and may sometimes 

 be seen upon them in considerable numbers. Flocks 

 of this Duck may be seen in winter on the Penn Ponds 

 in Richmond Park and it is a fairly frequent visitor to 

 Wanstead. Pochards also resort to Kingsbury Reser- 

 voir, the Welsh Harp, Osterley, Wimbledon Park, and 

 various sheets of water in North Surrey and Kent. 

 I am of opinion that individuals of this species from 

 time to time consort with the wild-fowl on the lakes 

 in the various London parks. During migration 

 numbers must actually cross over the Metropolis, and 

 are doubtless tempted to alight in these localities by 

 their half-wild congeners. 



The migratory Pochards that winter in our islands 

 only reach them in October, and leave them in March 

 and April. The Pochard belongs to the Diving Ducks 

 (Fvligulinar), a sub-family of the Anatidce, distinguished 

 by having a pendent lobe or membrane attached to the 

 hind toe, and the tarsi are scutellated in front. All 



