Tufted duck

Tufted duck facts

Scientific name: Aythya fuligula

Family: Anatidae

Diet: Waterweed, plant seeds and aquatic insects

Predators: Herons, foxes, birds of prey and domestic dogs

Size: Length 41-45cm, wingspan 70cm

Weight: 760g

Lifespan: Four years

About tufted ducks

Found along our canals, rivers and reservoirs, the tufted duck is slightly less abundant than the mallard but is still quite common. They also like flooded gravel pits, ponds and lakes.

Tufted ducks are diving ducks, meaning they submerge themselves looking for food on the canal bed. They are voracious eaters, consuming up to three times their body weight and sometimes scavenge sinking leftovers from dabbling ducks.

These water birds have distinctive tufted plumage on the top of their heads, which gives them their common name. Their scientific name – fuligula – means ‘sooty throat’.

Are tufted ducks rare?

Tufted ducks breed across the UK’s lowland areas. Numbers increase in winter when migratory birds fly south from Iceland and northern Europe.

We have a breeding population of about 18,000 pairs, joined by over 100,000 that migrate during the colder months.

These striking ducks can be found along canals, lakes, ponds and reservoirs. You might see them diving for food on our busiest waterways in towns and cities, as well as on our rural canals.

What do tufted ducks look like?

The tufted duck is a medium-sized bird and smaller than a mallard. Males have a black head and body with white stripes down the sides. Female tufted ducks are chocolatey brown all over. Both sexes have a blue-grey bill and piercing yellow eyes.

Their most distinctive feature, the tufted plumage on top of their heads, gives this duck an edgy, punk look.

What do tufted ducklings look like?

Tufted ducklings are small, brown and fluffy with dark grey bills. The hen (female) lays 8-11 eggs in a brood, sometimes in neighbouring nests. Called ‘egg dumping’, it’s a relatively common practice between ducks, and the hen will care for all the young that hatch in their nest.

What is the difference between a scaup and a tufted duck?

The tufted duck bears a similarity to the scaup. Like the tufted duck, scaup ducks have a round head with dark feathers. Male scaups have a pale grey back, while females are grey-brown. However, scaups don’t have any tufted plumage.

What noise do tufted ducks make?

Females make a harsh ‘karr’ calling sound when in flight, whereas males are mostly quiet but may whistle when courting.

Other species to look out for