pochards

Coots, wigeons and the pochards are the less speedy ones among the migratory birds, 'said Shabir Ahmad, 34, another villager living close to the bird reserve.

India eNews 2009

Ducks – particularly herbivorous species such as pochards – have proven to be highly important transporters of aquatic plants, both as seeds stuck to their feathers or feet (a form of transport known as epizoochory), and as propagules carried in the bird’s gut (a form of transport known as endozoochory).

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

Ducks – particularly herbivorous species such as pochards – have proven to be highly important transporters of aquatic plants, both as seeds stuck to their feathers or feet (a form of transport known as epizoochory), and as propagules carried in the bird’s gut (a form of transport known as endozoochory).

The Madagascar pochard returns Darren Naish 2006

Sometimes called bay ducks, pochards – the tribe Aythyini – are one of four clades that together make up Anatinae, the true duck group (the other anatine clades are Malacorhynchini [pink-eared ducks], Anatini [surface-feeding ducks] and Mergini [seaducks]).

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

We do know that, like other pochards, it feeds by diving, probably for the seeds of water-lilies and other plants and invertebrates.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

In a phylogenetic analysis of skeletal, integumentary and soft-tissue characters, Livezey (1996) concluded that the members of Aythyini fell into four major groups, which in branching order are: the stem or narrow-billed pochards, the redheads, the white-eyes, and the scaup.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

So back to the latest news from the world of pochards: the amazing rediscovery of the Madagascar pochard, also known as the Madagascar white-eye.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

A short, rounded occipital crest sat at the back of the head; its syringeal bulla was flattened, rather than rounded as in other pochards.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

In view of all these profound differences it seems most appropriate to keep Rhodonessa and Netta as separate, even if they are more closely related to each other than to other pochards.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

A phylogenetic analysis of modern pochards (Anatidae: Aythyini).

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006