An abundant and familiar European breeding duck, with a smaller
fragmented population on steppe lakes across Asia to western China. Also a few breed in isolated pockets such
as Tunisia. European birds form huge moult concentrations in Northern Germany, Asian birds are either sedentary
or move south in winter. The knob on the bill is diminished in non-breeding plumage, and absent on females.
Females often show white patches near the bill-base, as on the centre bird here.
Click on the photo to return to "ducks" or here for
HOMEPAGE