About Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) Danube Delta
The Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina) is a recent species in Romania, with a history of only 100 years in this country. During the '60-'70, the population of Red-Crested Pochard boomed, but afterwards it backtracked.
The Red-Crested Pochard is a migrant bird, which comes from the south, in the Danube's Delta, in March and it flies back in November. During winter time, in the Danube's Delta can be seen impressive agglomeration of male Red-Crested Pochards, which come here from north-east.
A Red-Crested Pochard measures about 55 cm, with a wingspan of 85 to 90 cm, and it weights up to 1 kg. Its feathers are beautifully coloured. The male has a bright orange body and a red beak. Its wings are white and its chest is black. The female does not have a brightly coloured feathering like the male and it generally has brown feathers with white spots.
The Red-Crested Pochard prefers closed pools with fairly deep water and a rich macrophytic vegetation, bordered by reed, with a height of 1 to 2 m. This species is a diving duck and it feeds on vegetation and zooplankton, but it will also eat snails or clams. Its nest is built on rich vegetation near the water. The female Red-Crested Pochard will lay 8 to 12 greenish eggs, one after the other, and she will incubate them all by herself. The incubation will last from 26 to 28 days.