a b BirdLife International (2018). " Rhodonessa caryophyllacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22680344A125558688. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680344A125558688.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021. |date= / |doi= mismatch Compared to common scoter, velvet scoter are heavily built with a chunky, wedge-shaped bill along with usually having white in the wing. Adult males have more yellow on the lower bill and white under the eye. These smart birds breed on the Russian tundra, across Scandinavia and along the coasts of the Baltic sea. In the UK, they're seen on the sea during winter. They’re larger than common pochard but the plumage is similar, with the males sporting a fiery perm! Some wild birds are seen in the UK but it’s likely that all of the breeding birds in the south of England are populations established from escaped collection birds. These species winter in Britain in large numbers, with more birds present in years when the weather conditions elsewhere in Europe are particularly poor. Mallards also fly in from Russia, though the majority come from Iceland and northern Europe.

Pink-headed duck - Wikipedia Pink-headed duck - Wikipedia

Summer is also a time when young birds are beginning to make their own way in the world and many won’t yet have reached a recognisable plumage. Some look similar to females. King, F. Wayne (1988). "Extant Unless Proven Extinct: The International Legal Precedent". Conservation Biology. 2 (4): 395–397. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.1988.tb00205.x. These beautiful birds are native to east Asia but feral populations became established in the UK early in the 20th century. They are now quite widespread and are of course very easily identified, particularly the colourful male. Eiders feed by diving, dipping, and up-ending often in shallow water, foraging for molluscs, crustaceans, and sometimes fish. They can also swim underwater. The male’s haunting call carries far, while the female produces a series of guttural sounds during breeding season.These birds have a hook at the tip of the bill and lamellae along the edges to help grip fish, they specialise in diving for prey.

Guide to UK Duck Identification The NHBS Guide to UK Duck Identification

van der Ven, Joost (2007). Roze is een kleur– Zoektochten naar een eend in Myanmar 1999–2006. Utrecht: IJzer. Distribution: Mainly restricted to the highlands of Scotland during the summer, their winter range includes most coastal areas, lakes, large rivers and other inland water bodies. They are particularly best looked for in north and west Britain.

Diving ducks

Red-crested pochard ( Netta rufina) – 10-21 pairs/500 words – introduced (also occurs naturally as a wanderer from mainland Europe) Livezey, B. C. (1998). "A phylogenetic analysis of modern pochards (Anatidae: Aythini)" (PDF). The Auk. 113 (1): 74–93. doi: 10.2307/4088937. JSTOR 4088937. Distribution: Present in almost all coastal areas in the UK year-round, as well as some inland waters such as reservoirs. Johnsgard, Paul A. (161). "The Taxonomy of the Anatidae: A behavioural analysis". Ibis. 103: 71–85. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1961.tb02421.x.