Habitat
Breeds on small, enclosed, semi-permanent or temporary freshwater, brackish or eutrophic lakes with a fringe of dense emergent vegetation. In the non-breeding season on larger, deeper alkaline or saline waters which have less emergent vegetation than in the breeding season, but still support algae and pondweeds, including saline inland lakes, coastal lakes and lagoons, and even the coastal waters of inland seas.
Afghanistan (B) (NB), Algeria (B), Armenia (B), Azerbaijan (NB) (P), Bulgaria (NB) (P), China (mainland), Cyprus (NB), Georgia (B) (NB), Greece (NB), Hungary (E) (B), India (NB), Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B) (NB) (P), Iraq (NB), Israel (NB), Kazakhstan (B) (P), Mongolia (B), Pakistan (NB), Romania (B) (NB), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B), Russia (European) (B), Spain (B) (NB), Syrian Arab Republic (NB), Tajikistan (P), Tunisia (B) (NB), Turkey (B) (NB) (P), Turkmenistan (B) (NB), Ukraine (NB), Uzbekistan (B) (P).
Vagrant to Albania (NB), Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Egypt (NB), France (NB), Germany, Italy (NB), Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malta, Morocco (NB) (P), Netherlands Antilles, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia (NB), Slovakia (Slovak Republic), Slovenia, Switzerland.
Unknown to Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (NB), Montenegro, Serbia.
South-western Mediterranean basin to extreme north-western China; main population in southern USSR. Formerly more widespread in Mediterranean area.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 7,900 - 13,100 (2010) and decreasing.
Status EN
Habitat destruction and degradation are the main threats. In Europe hybridization with introduced Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is also a problem.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Midge larvae and other aquatic invertebrates. Also seeds and the vegetative parts of other aquatic plants.
White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) [XC462911]
by Geoffrey Monchaux from K\u00e9nitra, K\u00e9nitra, Rabat-Sal\u00e9-K\u00e9nitra, Morocco (song)
White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) [XC462959]
by id from K\u00e9nitra, K\u00e9nitra, Rabat-Sal\u00e9-K\u00e9nitra, Morocco (song)
Nest
A cupped platform of leaves and stems, over which a roof may be formed by bending down overhead leaves, located over water in emergent vegetation. Also old nests of coots or ducks, and has been found to make use of nesting boxes in which it constructs a nest of twigs.
Subspecies
Considered by some to form superspecies with Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis). Hybridization with Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) in the wild, producing fertile progeny, has occurred in southern Spain, where birds from introduced English population have arrived.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) which is smaller with brighter chestnut plumage, the male has more extensive black cap and dark hindneck and female has narrower facial band and browner cap. Both sexes lack swollen base to bill. Hybrid identification can be very problematic.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet