Species Spotlight: Baer’s Pochard
Alex Levitskiy
This week’s featured species is the Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri). Baer’s Pochard are diving ducks that are native to eastern Asia, and breed in northeast China and southeast Russia. They migrate to other southeast Asian countries for the winter months. The drakes have a black head with a greenish hue, a chestnut-brown breast, white underparts, a dark back and neck, white and chestnut-brown flanks, and white eyes. The hens are an overall brown color, with a white underside and flanks. Both sexes have grey bills and a white band on their wing.
Baer’s Pochard have been classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN in 2012 due to an acceleration in the decline of their population. There are an estimated 150-700 individuals left based on recent data. Baer’s Pochard suffer from hunting threats and wetland destruction. They are listed on CMS Appendix II and are legally protected in Russia, Mongolia, and certain provinces of China. Regardless, these ducks are in dire need of attention. Although scarce in captivity, Baer’s Pochards are available to aviculturists to establish a breeding population in captivity, as they are not a particularly challenging species to raise. However, it is crucial for aviculturists to be able to distinguish Baer’s Pochard hens from other Pochard species, as they closely resemble one another. The conservation of Baer’s Pochards is today’s project—it cannot be put off for the future. Lastly, I would like to give a shout-out to some of the major collections breeding Baer’s Pochards in the U.S., such as Sylvan Heights Bird Park, Pinola Conservancy, and Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, and thank everyone who is taking part in the preservation of this species.
Photo Credit: Alex Levitskiy
Juvenile Pair of Baer’s Pochard
