# Rosy-billed Pochard (*Netta peposaca*) The Rosy-billed Pochard is a beautiful duck with a bright pink bill! They love to swim in lakes and wetlands, where they find tasty plants and small fish to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Rosy-billed Pochard](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Netta_peposaca_-_Miguel_-_569265081_%28cropped%29.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Miguel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Netta_peposaca_-_Miguel_-_569265081_%28cropped%29.jpeg) ## Appearance The Rosy-billed Pochard is a striking duck with a dark body and a unique pale patch on its wing. Males boast a vibrant rosy-red bill with a black tip and a glossy black head, distinctly different from the duller brown females, making them easy to spot. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Netta ## Interesting facts - Even as babies, Rosy-billed Pochard ducklings can swim and find food! - Female Rosy-billed Pochards sometimes lay their eggs in other ducks' nests! - Their name "pochard" comes from an old French word meaning 'to dive'! - They use their strong bills to pull up yummy plants from the lakebed. ## Special abilities - **Underwater Explorer:** Rosy-billed Pochards can dive deep underwater to find food because of their powerful webbed feet and streamlined bodies. - **Colorful Signal:** Male Rosy-billed Pochards have a bright rosy-red bill that helps them attract mates and stand out in their wetland habitat. - **Agile Swimmer:** Rosy-billed Pochards can move quickly through water using strong leg muscles and webbed feet to escape predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 48-56 cm - **Wingspan:** 70-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.8-1 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-15 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 27-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 1000 km ## Diet & Feeding These ducks mostly eat aquatic plants and seeds, but also enjoy a snack of insects or small fish! - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic plants, Seeds, Aquatic insects, Small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle (*Geranoaetus melanoleucus*) — Often preys on ducklings and adults. - **Parasitizes:** Silver Teal (*Anas versicolor*) — Females often lay eggs in their nests. - **Eats:** Sago Pondweed (*Potamogeton pectinatus*) — Feeds on seeds and tubers of this plant. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Rosy-billed Pochard? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Rosy-billed Pochard? 48-56 cm ### What is Rosy-billed Pochard's wingspan? 70-80 cm ### How much does Rosy-billed Pochard weigh? 0.8-1 kg ### How long does Rosy-billed Pochard live? 5-15 years ### How fast can Rosy-billed Pochard move? 70 km/h ### What does Rosy-billed Pochard eat? These ducks mostly eat aquatic plants and seeds, but also enjoy a snack of insects or small fish! ### Where is Rosy-billed Pochard usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Rosy-billed Pochard: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rosy-billed-pochard)