Baer’s Pochard

Aythya baeri

Range

• It breeds in southeast Russia and northeast China, migrating in winter to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India.

Habitat

• Lakes and flooded meadows near woods

Diet

• Insects
• Mollusks
• Shrimps
• Fish
• Algae
• Aquatic plants
• Seeds

As part of the group known as “diving ducks”, their legs are set far back on their bodies to help propel them underwater as they dive to the bottom of lakes and rivers to feed.

Due to wetland development and uncontrolled hunting, there are more of these critically endangered ducks in zoos and private collections than in the wild.