Food
Mainly plant material but some invertebrates.
Voice
Usually silent. Male, a soft 'wuck' and 'we-ooo' during courtship. Female, a sweeter 'err, err', that is higher pitched than that of the Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula).
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) [XC220832]
by Marco Dragonetti from Gmina Puchacz\u00f3w (near Nadrybie-Wie\u015b), \u0142\u0119czy\u0144ski, lubelskie, Poland (call, song)
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) [XC366658]
by Gerard Kenter from , Poland (call)
Subspecies
Considered by some to form superspecies with Hardhead (Aythya australis), Baer's Pochard (Aythya baeri) and Madagascar Pochard (Aythya innotata). Hybridization recorded in captivity with several species of genera Aythya, Anas and Netta and with Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula).
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7